On Golden Wings
by Jumping Jack Sprat
Summary: The Winter War has ended and everyone has moved on with their lives. Ichigo is enjoying his seemingly peaceful life when a certain incident has him heading for Tokyo. Will he be able to resolve the problem and go home? Or will he become an unwilling participant in the Sekirei Plan. M for safety and possible later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I don't own shit all copyrighted material belongs to its respective owner.**

Confusion, complete and utter confusion was the only thing that was coursing through his mind. Groggily he registered that he was in a bed, but where he was that was a different matter. He began by trying to recall his most recent memories, brief glances of tearful eyes, destruction and blood so much blood. Aizen had kidnapped Inoue he remembered him and his precious nakama storming Los Noches in a bid to retrieve her. After that he remembered confronting an Arrancar with a name he couldn't quite remember, but what he could recall about that Arrancar made him even more confused bad dancing around, being called Nino and oddly enough Panini. Why he thought of a sandwich when he tried to remember his name, he had no fucking idea.

He was then assaulted with images of a tiny girl with the remnants of a cracked ram's skull atop her green haired head… Nel the name had the corners of his mouth tipping up a little bit. He remembered finding her and her companions in the desert of Hueco Mundo playing some idiotic game of tag.

Later he protected said girl from Ulquiorra, several unpleasant memories appeared along with the name. The first one was being severely beaten trying to protect Nel, he was outclassed, at every turn Ulquiorra had the upper hand. At the time he believed whole heartedly that the green eyed bastard had to be the strongest in Aizen's army. Beaten to a pulp after receiving a massive kick that knocked him out of the skies of Los Noches, he pulled himself from the rubble that was formerly a random column that dotted the area under the dome. He used the last of his strength to make a stab at his assailant, the result was less than expected, and all his effort was rewarded with was tearing the black haired man's coat. An old English 4 on his left pectoral was what greeted him under the slit his blade made.

That number could have torn his heart out on its own, even without the stoic arrancars explanation he knew what it meant. He was fucked! The fourth Espada had just made him look like an insignificant fly. Hope fled his body along with the life from his eyes as he stared down at the albino white hand with black finger nails sticking deep into his chest just below his neck. Looking up he caught a glimpse of emerald green emotionless eyes accompanied with matching tear like streaks that ran down the Espada's face, he also heard his calm and even voice as he fell.

"Even if you managed to defeat me there are three stronger Espada, if you are able to run away do so, if not lay there and die, either way your attempt to rescue your friend has come to an end".

Sweating heavily Ichigo sat up in the unfamiliar bed looking around still having no fucking clue where he was. Taking note of his current condition he was amazed that he was not in any pain whatsoever, he was wearing his black hakama pants with white sash leaving his torso and feet bare. He was in a massive room (massive compared to his own bedroom) observing the room with the assistance from the light of the moon, he noticed that it had waxed wooden floors, the walls were adorned with tasteful tapestries and there were even ancient and very expensive looking vases. He also noticed two sets of shoji doors.

'Well if I am every going to figure out where the fuck I am I need to get out of fucking bed' the orange haired teen mused.

Softly padding across the room to the first set of doors the young man cracked it open to have a look, hoping for a sense of familiarity. Having no such luck and not really wanting to talk to anyone at the moment, he slowly slid the door closed. Turning on his heel he made his way to the other set of doors. That's when he noticed his powers were still intact, but he could not feel his partner, the one who was always by his side encouraging him when he needed it.

"Zangetsu" the name left his lips before he even realized it.

Another wave of memories overtook him, they were so intense that they nearly brought the hybrid to his knees. He was in his inner world battling a person that wore a tattered hooded cloak that concealed his face from the world. In the mysterious person's grasp was a replica of the young visored's bankai. After trading blows for a short amount of time, the mysterious figure finally revealed himself to be a young man around the same height and age as Ichigo with black hair.

"Who are you? Where is Zangetsu!?" the bewildered substitute shinigami demanded.

"Who am I" the man replied with a unnervingly calm disposition "What is the name of your Bankai"

"Tensa Zangetsu" the brown eyed teen replied a little confusion still leaking into his voice.

"Correct, so who does that make me?" the slightly agitated zanpakuto spirit questioned a little frustrated with the denseness of his wielder.

Finally getting where the spirit was going with his line of questioning, Ichigo answered back confidently "You are Tensa Zangetsu, and you already know why I am here"

"You have come here to seek out the Final Getsuga Tensho, but you are mistaken, I will never teach you that technique"

With a ragged breath Ichigo stood to his full height trying to regain his composure. He remembered the battle in his soul. Tensa ripping the hollow painfully from his chest, only to fuse with it a few seconds later and resume the battle of dominance. He remembered accepting the fused zanpakuto/hollow's blade threw his heart. The look of utter sadness he received from his sword before they parted ways seemingly forever.

If he could feel his power he couldn't have lost his partner. 'I didn't lose him I absorbed him and the bastard hollow' Looking around he spotted it, on a small decorated table displayed with reverence and the upmost care. A long black daito that had a small broken chain dangling from its hilt, the cross guard had four prongs bent out to form the shape of the manji. What surprised him was the smooth black sheath complete with a crimson Rosario like shoulder strap. With a heavy sigh of relief he made his way towards the manifestation of his soul, once he gripped the hilt he felt a sudden surge of completeness.

* * *

He was still troubled though, he felt complete, his mind was clearer than it had ever been and he felt if he dared say it indestructible. As troubling as it sounded though he missed the voices in his head (yes plural). The hollow was a bastard no way around that, but without the bleached copy he would have never reached his goal of protecting everyone.

Opening the second set of doors slowly to once again try and determine his whereabouts, he was meet with the cool night air and a shining full moon that completely illuminated a beautiful garden. The garden was not like anything that he had ever seen before, there was a long cobble stone walkway through the center, on either side of the path there were intricate flower beds that seemed to be immaculately cared for.

Still curious he decided to wander down the path for a while, about hundred yards into his journey the intricate flower beds gave way to Sakura Trees, peeking his interest more was the sound of running water. Finding the source of the sound, Ichigo found himself staring at enormous pond complete with its own waterfall, only upon closer inspection did he notice several species of Koi fish swimming in its depths. So caught up in the serenity of the moon reflecting off the rippling surface and the soothing sound of running water, did he fail to notice another presence sitting on a bench by the pond.

"Kurosaki, it is interesting to see you wandering around" the voice that called to him was calm, reserved, completely fitting the man it belonged to. The man who appeared to be in his mid to late twenties wore a simple midnight blue yukata, he had straight black hair that hung down to his mid back it was lacking its usual kenseiken that denoted his nobility, he was slender yet at a glance you could tell he was built for speed. His facial structure was well defined one could go as far as calling him a pretty boy. Slate grey eyes scrutinized the orange haired teen before him.

"Byakuya, well that answers the question of where I am" the young substitute began absently walking to the bench and taking a seat next to the head of the Kuchiki Clan "I can only assume that I am at the Kuchiki Manor judging by your sleeping attire".

Calming himself after the blatant disregard for his title not only as Taicho but a noble as well he responded "Indeed, Inoue-san's healing abilities are quite amazing for you to be walking around this soon" the older man stated with his eyes never leaving the pond before him. Adjusting his position to look at his companion he continued "Do you remember the end of the war"?

He did, ever since coming in contact with Zangetsu again everything in his mind cleared like a heavy veil had been lifted. He could see the look on Aizen's face when he showed him what true power meant, the uncomprehending horror when he realized he was in the presence of a true transcendent being. The realization that even with the Hogyoku he was no match for Kurosaki. That was the last thing Ichigo seen of Aizen alive, after the final strike he succumbed to his own wounds inflicted on him in the final battle.

Looking down at his left arm that he clearly remembered losing in a particular fierce onslaught of blows from the megalomaniac. A lot of things could be said about Aizen insane, god complex, and dictator… all those could never compare to what he really was and that was a true monster in combat. He lived and breathed fighting in every sense of the word careful planning, learning his opponents weaknesses, and the decades of training to hone his skills in every area. Ichigo had to begrudgingly respect him for that part of him, it gave him a goal to work for. Not the god part, but honing his own set of skills to a razors edge. He couldn't help but believe that he would've been far better off (and less dead a few times) if he was well rounded in all areas of the Shinigami.

* * *

Snapping out of his reverie he replied back "Yeah, I didn't at first but once I touched Zangetsu everything came back to me" sitting up straight as if struck by lightning "Where is everyone Inoue, Rukia, Chad, Ishida, and Renji!" he couldn't believe that he was so wrapped up in his own thoughts that he had completely forgotten about his friends, the people that had fought and bleed with him in that fucking desert!

"Lower your voice Kurosaki, everyone is accounted for and doing fine" holding up a hand to silence the incoming questions he continued "Thanks to the efforts of Squad Four and Inoue-san everyone is healed. You have been asleep for two days suffering from fatigue due to severe reiatsu depletion. As for their location they are at a party being thrown by Matsumoto Fukutaicho at the Squad Ten barracks."

"Well what the hell are we waiting for let's go!" the over excited teen urged he really wanted to see his friends now that he had his head on straight. If he was being totally honest with himself he wanted to see Geta-Boshi so he could ask about Zangetsu and his powers.

Closing his eyes and contemplating if he get away with murdering Kurosaki without getting caught, Byakuya shook his head reasoning that he couldn't pull it off. It wasn't that he hated the boy anymore it was that he found his company… unpleasant. He didn't want to attend the party and his damn curiosity kept him from shunpoing away when he seen him approaching. That was another thing that disturbed him about the transcendent sitting to his left, he didn't sense him coming. Usually you could feel Kurosaki's uncontrollable reiatsu a mile off, now it was like sitting next to a void.

"I am not going"

"What WHY" practically yelled Ichigo

"I am not required to give you a reason. You may go if you wish, but you may want to make yourself more presentable first." Replied the cold noble

Looking down at himself he had to nod in agreement, being bed ridden for a couple days he had to admit that he had quite the funk going on. A shower and a toothbrush definitely sounded like a damn fine prospect at the moment.

Following behind his temporary benefactor as they made their way back up the cobble stone path, he couldn't help but let his mind drift about what was next for him. Reaching the main house and avoiding nearly running into the back of the Squad Six Taicho, they proceeded to twist and turn through the halls of the mansion before he was shown to a restroom that had everything that he required. He thanked Byakuya (which nearly gave the noble a heart attack) before stepping into the bathroom going their separate ways for the evening.

The bathroom surprisingly was fairly modern decked out in pristine white ceramic tile that had faint grey swirl patterns, the fixtures where solid gold, and not to mention you could probably fit six people in the bath tub. Stepping out of the shower about ten minutes later and quickly drying off before brushing his teeth. He nearly shouted in surprise when he seen his reflection his hair was the same as when he left the Dangai, that wasn't the only difference he still retained his height, and muscle mass from the intense training in his inner world. A knock at the door startled him out of his self-examination.

Quickly wrapping his waist in a towel he answered the door to find a young maid that looked no more than twenty. She wore a standard maid's outfit an ankle length black dress with white cuffs and a white apron over the top. Her golden brown hair was tied up in a simple bun on the back of her head, she had big brown eyes not exactly the same shade of his own, and she stood about five foot two with a slender build with modest B-cup breasts. Overall he had to admit that she was very attractive especially with the blush that stained her cheeks. Right then his mind came screeching to a halt, when did he start sizing up girls the way he just did to this maid. The word 'instinct' flashed in his mind and he understood, his hollow that he absorbed was all the instincts that he neglected, apparently that involved the instinct to find a mate.

"G-good evening Kurosaki-sama, Kuchiki-sama informed us that you would need fresh clothes" The young maid stuttered out, which she admonished herself for, she worked for the Kuchiki family dammit! She should have better composure then that. She reasoned in her defense that it wasn't every day that you meet the man dubbed the Hero of the Winter War, she also had to admit that pictures of him didn't do him enough justice.

"Ah, thank you very much…" he trailed off not knowing her name

"Akina" the brunette supplied for him

"Right thank you very much Akina" he replied with a warm smile "by the way what time is it"

Blush increasing a little from the smile and the fact that he was still half naked she replied "It's a little past ten Kurosaki-sama"

"Thank you and thank you again for the clothes Akina" with a small smile he took the clothes and re-entered the bathroom, leaving behind a blushing maid to stare at the closed door.

"He's so much nicer than I thought he would be, and way more attractive" she mumbled to herself as she started down the hall to resume her duties.

* * *

The party was going full tilt and the sake was flowing at an impressive rate. It wasn't the only party going on in the Seireitei, but it had the most notable Shinigami in attendance. The table set up for the guests of honor was lined with several Taicho consisting of Kyoraku Shunsui, Hitsugaya Toshiro, Unohana Retsu, Kenpachi Zaraki, and Ukitake Jushiro. Another notable table consisted of the young teens from Karakura Town Inoue Orihime, Sado 'Chad' Yasutora, and Ishida Uryuu who was looking a little pissed being surrounded by so many Shinigami. They were joined by several of their Shinigami friends Kuchiki Rukia was sitting between Abari Renji and Orihime, who had Matsumoto Rangiku to her right who was trying endlessly to make her drink sake.

Even though there was wild dancing, loud music, and infectious laughter all around them the Karakura kids couldn't relax especially with their unofficial leader absent. Well Orihime and Chad couldn't relax for that reason, Ishida on the other hand was flat incapable of relaxation in his current predicament.

"I think I'm going to go check on Kurosaki-kun" stated the Auburn haired healer sliding her seat out to stand up.

"Oh no, you are staying right here with us" came the slightly slurred speech of the busty Rangiku latching onto the young girls wrist.

"Rangiku's right Inoue you should relax, after all you have spent the last two days healing people nonstop" agreed the red headed sixth division Fukutaicho furrowing his tattooed eyebrows "Besides the Strawberry is fine he's just being lazy" he finished with a dismissive wave.

That comment earned him several wide eyed stares and rather nasty assault on his toes courtesy of the petite, violet eyed, raven haired Shingami sitting next to him.

First thing he was going to work on when he got home was tracking people's reiatsu. Already having stopped at several of the wrong parties was bad enough, but the attention he received at those parties was worse in his opinion. He was an introvert by nature so having so many people heap praise upon him was a little more than he could handle. What pissed him off more was that a part of him was relishing all the attention especially the responsiveness from the opposite sex.

He has never had so many females ask him out or flat out just offer to bang him in his life. He had to get these hormones under control before he just ended up fucking some random girl silly in an alleyway. 'Well I only have myself to blame for this after all, probably shouldn't have neglected that side of me, but I'll be damned if I'm going to turn into a pervert like Geta-Boshi or Goat Chin over night I still have some morals dammit'

So lost in thought he didn't even realize that he had passed by squad ten and was aimlessly walking until he literally ran into a very inebriated Ikkaku piggy backing an unranked female squad eight member. After a lot of cursing and some laughing Ikkaku finally locked his sight on the person who sent him and his date sprawling to the ground. The first thing he noticed was the mop of bright orange hair.

"I thought we made it clear that anyone who dyed their hair orange trying to copy Ichigo was ending up with a haircut like mine." To further emphasize his point he ran a hand over his smooth bald head just as it gleamed in the moonlight. "You will make lucky number thirty, Atsui get my clippers"

Atsui for her part just stood there with her mouth slightly agape. She wasn't nearly as drunk as Ikkaku and she could definitely tell that the Shinigami in front of her was no imposter, he was the genuine article.

"Ikkaku" he paused to get the spear user to look back at him, satisfied he continued "If you try and shave my head I will personally beat your ass all over this fucking dimension, just like the first time we met."

Finally getting a good look in the dim lighting, the third seat from the eleventh couldn't help the shit eating grin that split his face "What the hell did you do to your hair its long as shit"

"Yeah yeah I know it is" the young transcendent replied grabbing a strand of his orange locks that fell between his eyes "Oi by the way where the hell is squad ten"

Coming out of her slight stupor Atsui dead panned "It is literally twenty feet behind you Kurosaki-san"

Rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly "R-right thanks" he finished with a nervous chuckle.

* * *

Turning on his heel he threw a lazy wave over his shoulder and continued on his way. He was completely unprepared for the shit storm he was about to walk in on. There were people running all over the place it was literally a free for all. The first person he noticed was Kyoraku in his straw hat and pink flowery design kimono. Swigging directly from a large bottle of what he could only assume was sake, while talking flirtatiously with several younger female shinigami. Directly behind him was his ever faithful Fukutaichio Nanao Ise looking nearly ready to brutally beat her taicho with the thick book in her grasp.

Seated at the front of the party were Unohana, Ukitake, and surprisingly Zaraki, all having what looked like a normal conversation casually sipping there drinks without a care in the world. He did notice the absence of a certain diminutive white haired taicho. 'Probably couldn't handle Matsumoto' nodding to himself at his assumption his eyes found the busty strawberry blonde dancing, drinking and singing with Inoue and Rukia who both looked drunk. 'Tatsuki would swing at me if she found out Inoue was drinking' he chuckled at the scene anyway it was good to see Inoue smile after everything she went through in Hueco Mundo.

Even though he seen several men leering at them he let it slide, he knew that none of them had the balls to actually try anything with them. He almost fell over laughing when he saw Ishida, the almost exclusively white clad bespectacled teen looked insanely uncomfortable, even though he was talking to the human tank otherwise known as Chad.

He felt his mood lightening up the sting of not feeling Zangetsu in his soul had lessened somewhat. Subconsciously he reached over his shoulder to touch the smooth handle of his daito, which was another thing he wondered about. Was he always going to be stuck in bankai? He was kind of glad that nobody could sense him, he got to sit back and observe without being noticed as he took a seat in a dimly lit corner. All was going well until he found himself being stared at by a set of dark pink eyes, the owner was none other than Yachiru, the pintsized Fukutaicho of the eleventh. Like a pink haired blur she came barreling straight for him.

"ICHI" came the crowd stopping squeal from the chibi girl before she full on tackled him.

He almost groaned when the music stopped and everyone turned to look in his direction. It started with a few whispers and disbelieving stares, it quickly escalated into roar of drunken cheering with people clinking bottles together while looking at him as if expecting some kind of speech. His agitation grew when he tried to slink out of the lime light for the comfort of obscure shadows, only to have people follow him.

He wasn't mad at the people enjoying themselves he knew they deserved it, the war was brutal on everyone. No what he hated was that everyone made him the face of the war by dubbing him some kind of hero, it was true that he struck the final blow, but he hardly could've pulled it off by himself. Everyone played their part in the war, if it wasn't for Yama-Ji sending reinforcements to Hueco Mundo he would have died in that waste land with his friends following him to the grave. Shaking those negative thoughts away he gave a small smile and wave simply saying "Yo" before making his way towards Chad, Renji and Uryuu.

* * *

"Looks like everyone is cutting loose tonight, well except for a stuck up Quincy that is" Ichigo smirked when his jab at the teen Quincy hit its mark.

"Blow it out your ass Kurosaki" was the simple reply from the lean built archer, while he adjusted the glasses back to their proper resting place on his nose, the use of his middle finger to do so didn't go unnoticed by the Zangetsu wielder.

He was taken aback by the venom laced reply, until he caught a glimpse of the saucer of sake and the faint flushed look his friendly rival was sporting. Turning his attention to his half Mexican brother in arms, he noticed that Chad was also drinking, albeit at a slower and more responsible pace than others around him. The giant teen just gave him an almost imperceptive nod and pushed a saucer in his direction, quickly refilling his own glass he raised it in a silent salute to the man he considered a brother. The action was quickly mirrored by the other three men at the table, it was almost a silent vow to always have each other's back. Ichigo couldn't help but cough a little bit as the liquid burned the back of his throat.

"You will get used to it eventually Strawberry" a laughing Renji remarked as he slapped Ichigo on the back during his coughing fit.

"Fuck you Pineapple, this shit is terrible"

The four men quickly fell into comfortable banter, laughing and telling each other about their different experiences in the hellish dimension. They were unaware of the crowd that seemed to have gathered or the eerie quiet as the audience listened with rapt attention. Then the question came that Ichigo was severely hoping to avoid was asked.

"So what happened in your fight with Aizen" it was asked by a random person in the crowd, but the expectant eyes on him were kicking in his fight or flight reflex. He was beginning to choose the flight option when a high pitched slightly insane voice cut in.

"There is no need to answer that Ryoka, as luck would have it my security cameras caught it on tape" the voice belonged to a man who for lack of better words looked like a clown complete with black and white face paint, blue hair, and golden eyes that practically radiated madness.

"Kurotsuchi Taicho I don't think that is something that you should be showing to people" Unohana gently tried to persuade him with a serene smile that all but said 'do what I want or I will fucking murder you'

"Tch" Mayuri scoffed never a man to be deterred he casually replied "It's not really a big deal anymore, I've shown it at several different parties already. NEMU have you finished setting up that monitor yet you worthless failed experiment!"

"Yes Mayuri-sama" was the reply from the emotionless Fukutaicho as the monitor flickered to life.

* * *

The scene panned in on the barren and mountainous landscape of the Rukongai, with a lone figure hovering in the sky. With a smug smile he could already taste his victory, ready to start the world anew. So caught up in his musings he didn't sense the executioner coming from behind, until he felt the bone shattering punch that sent him soring into the deserted wastelands. Dazed and confused as to what just hit him Aizen didn't try to right himself before he slammed into the ground. From the newly formed crater he got his first hint at who his new opponent was when he heard a chilling phrase.

"GETSUGA TENSHO" the energy attack ripped from his blade sending a highly condensed black and red crescent moon at the downed man. Not content with one attack Ichigo pointed his index and middle finger at his opponent forming an ominous red orb that steadily grew in size. "CERO" the second attack screamed in the wake of his signature getsuga impacting the ground and Aizen a split second after.

'How did he manage to man handle me like that' mused Aizen as the feeling of real fear crept up his spine for the first time in centuries. Crawling out of the smoking crater his regeneration was already underway replacing his lower half from the naval down along with his left arm.

"I see Kurosaki that you have managed to become stronger in the short time we've been apart" smirked Aizen after his healing was completed "I don't know how you did it, but I can't feel an ounce of reiatsu coming from you. If you have discarded it somehow to alter your physical attributes then you have lost already"

Before Ichigo could respond Aizen was already on him raining down blows, it felt like he was being attacked by a buzz saw. Each blow they traded drastically reshaped the land scape shattering mountains with ease. His purple eyed, human/butterfly hybrid opponent found an opening in his defense, before he knew what happened his left arm was already falling uselessly to the ground. 'HOLY SHIT, I still can't keep up with him… FUCK THAT he can't stop me I WONT LOSE!' Charging a Getsuga in his blade he brought it up to his bloody stump and cauterized the wound…with a string of mumbled curses he unleashed the pent up energy in his blade. Much to his and Aizen's surprise mixing his blood with Getsuga Tensho made it extremely fast and more compact. Barely able to dodge the god wanabe still lost his leg, but what was more shocking was when the attack detonated with equivalent force of a low yield nuclear bomb.

Aizens face betrayed his emotions the instant his last obstacle displayed such devastating power. Fear, regret and confusion managed to slip by before he schooled his features "Come now Kurosaki so you can see the futility of your effort…"

Quickly being cut off from his one sided conversation as the obsidian blade of Tensa Zangetsu tore clean through the side of his stomach and out the other effectively disemboweling him. Embracing his hollow nature he showed no pause in mutilating his nemesis.

Desperate to stop the vicious onslaught Aizen had to go on the offensive "Hado thirty one, Shakkaho" the red ball of flame had its desired effect catching Ichigo mid swing in the center of his chest. Wasting no time as Ichigo landed on his back, he launched another spell at him forgoing the incantation to save time "Hado 90, Kurohitsugi" the massive black box enveloped Ichigo soon spears of black energy slammed into the sides eliciting a scream from within.

* * *

With the Kido finished, the coffin like box disappeared revealing an extremely fucked looking hybrid, but he was still upright. Gritting his teeth in pain he focused all his anger and frustration into his blade. The combatants stared each other down like mad dogs neither backing down an inch. With each swing mountains in the surrounding areas were reduced to rubble, mighty winds blew accompanied with sonic booms. Each combatant landing a blow on the other, was when the very real fact that Aizen's regeneration was no longer as effective, he was losing, fear tightened its hold on his heart.

"It seems Kurosaki that the Hogyoku has decided it no longer has a master. It feels the winner of this fight will be its new owner, so it has stripped me of my regeneration." Azien stated in a disturbingly calm voice "It matters not you are still no match for me"

With that Aizen was on him, pressuring Ichigo leaving him with no room to breathe. Side stepping a downward slash Aizen countered with a vertical slash once again landing a critical strike. Showing the tenacity that made him legend the orange haired teen fought on after the nasty gash that was delivered to his face costing him his right eye.

Seeing an opening in Ichigo's defense, Aizen lunged with his blade aimed for his opponent's heart. A split second later he felt the satisfying feeling of his blade sliding through Ichigo's breast plate, missing his heart by millimeters, but still a mortal wound. The smug smile never left his face even after Ichigo used a vertical slash to cut him in half from his crotch to the crown of his head, effectively bisecting the Hogyoku, shattering it in the process. As Aizen fell in two different pieces he began to break down into reiatsu almost completely gone before he hit the blood soaked dirt.

That last thing that played on the monitor before it turned black was the Hero falling to the ground succumbing to his grievous wounds. Only to be caught by the squirrely thin arms of the fourth divisions seventh seat Hanataro Yamada, who immediately went to work binding his wounds essentially saving his life.

* * *

Silence, uncomfortable and heavy silence everyone in attendance thought they wanted to see the fight. Figured it was going to be one hell of a show like in the great tales of warriors of the past. For the viewers that hadn't taken part in the actual war it was an eye opener, this was not some fantastic tale it was infinitely more brutal than they could have imagined. Soft sobs drove the nail home for those that still didn't get the picture of the devastating toll war had on people.

Turning their heads towards the sound they were unsurprised to see the gentle hearted healer Orihime with her hands to her face with tears in her eyes. What they were surprised about though, was when the star of said movie pulled her into an embrace to try and console her. He hated this, he tried to warn her that they should leave before it started, but she put on a brave face and insisted.

Now once again he kicked himself for not listening to his instincts and stopping the movie before it even played. What was worse was the fear he seen in the eyes of others, the same eyes that danced with mirth and joy only a hand full of minutes before. A large firm hand landed on his shoulder bringing him back to the world around him, not relinquishing his hold on Orihime he craned his neck to look at the owner of the hand. He was surprised to see it was Kenpachi trying out of everyone to lend him support.

"You did the right thing Ichigo" he reassured him looking at him with his only uncovered eye. Even though he personally didn't mind killing an enemy he knew it took a heavy toll on those that did, especially one as young as Ichigo.

With his piece said Kenpachi left heading for his own division a large smile splitting his face with every step he took. That fight got his blood flowing he wanted nothing more than to challenge Ichigo, but right now was not the time…soon though he promised himself.

Still bathed in silence Ichigo decided it was his own time to make an exit disentangling himself from Orihime he began to move only for her to latch securely on his arm walking in stride with him. He regarded her with a slightly furrowed brow, but didn't actually mind the embrace. Eyes landing on a rather short shinigami with blue eyes and chin length black hair he decided he really should show his gratitude before he left.

"Oi, Hanataro"

"Y-yes Kurosaki-san" replied the timid male, fidgeting with his hakama to abate some of his nervousness

"I don't know how you made it there, but thank you for saving my life" the transcendent being stated while offering his hand for a handshake.

"Right place right time I guess heh heh" He replied accepting the handshake albeit nervously.

* * *

The effect was immediate being thanked personally by the hero of the war definitely caught the attention of several nearby female shinigami…oh yes Hanataro just got a lot more popular.

Raising his hand chest level much to the confusion of the people at the party, Ichigo with the swipe of his arm tore open a garganta making everyone go wide eyed at what they had just witnessed. Turning back to his friends he gave them a slight nod towards the garganta, which they started walking towards. As for his shinigami friends he turned to them with a warm smile.

"I think it's about time we got home. We have a whole lot of people waiting on us"

Orihime letting go of him for a second so he could say good-bye, he stepped towards Rukia wrapping her in a hug promising that he would see her soon. A handshake and punch in the face from Renji wasn't totally unexpected, it just delayed the trip a little for them to finish their skirmish. Caught by surprise from a Matsumoto hug as she buried his face in her impressive bust battering his already frayed restraint on his instincts, he gently pried her off turning to leave. Only to once again get caught in a hug this time surprisingly enough by Unohana not aggressive like Rangiku hers was more motherly and warm which he found himself returning. With kiss on the cheek and soft 'thank you' she released him. Orihime reclaiming her spot by his side as they all waved before disappearing inside the garganta.

Three Years Later

Three years found Ichigo in a small two bedroom apartment of his own, attending his first semester at the local college to study medicine. Loathe he is to admit it he respected his father and his chosen practice. Deciding that he wanted to take over the family business after a long discussion with his old man, Ichigo stayed in Karakura. That was not the only promise he kept, true to his word he spent many hours in the cavernous training grounds underneath the Urahara Shoten developing his powers to an amazing degree. One of the other reasons he turned to medicine was after he learned healing kido from Tessai. He found great satisfaction in treating people after spending the early part of his career bathed in blood and battle.

He was amazed at all of the uses for kido, he felt like a fool for never learning it before. Though he could easily reason that he never had the time between his constant battles. One of the uses that intrigued him was kido massage, which was surprisingly a technique that Tessai himself created.

There was a reason why it was never offered in training for ordinary Shinigami, it was extremely temperamental. Not enough power and it was ineffective, too much power and you could severely hurt the recipient, maybe even cripple them for life. So of course it was the first thing they decided to teach him, true to Urahara training methods it was cruel and inhumane.

He would practice on Yoruichi, of course he had to wear a shock collar. If he started using too much power she would shock the living shit out of him and not enough power, you guessed it she would shock the shit out of him. When he finally got the technique of using the right amount of power down, he found it extremely mentally taxing to keep it up for significant amounts of time.

Which of course led to more practicing. Most men would cry to the heavens at being able to touch the Flash Goddesses' dark supple skin every day. Not Ichigo it was a chore to him, but the results were worth it (Well except when the Shinigami Women's Association raffled of a chance for him to give the winner a massage, then later forced him into complying). One of the benefits was when Orihime surprised him by asking for one, he always thought she was out of his league so he happily accepted, even though it tempted him severely with very improper ideas. The other benefit was it gave him amazing control over his reiatsu (which Urahara happily proclaimed as the very reason he suggested it was the first thing he learned).

* * *

The biggest change was when he returned to his human body for the first time, it was extremely painful as his body was forced to expand and change to match his spiritual appearance. Like everything in Ichigo's life the complications didn't end there, a week later his body in a last ditch effort to contain his power merged with his soul, once again a horrifically painful experience. It came with some perks though he was able to summon Zangetsu at will, his body also became as resilient as his spirit form and he could use all of his abilities without problem. The one drawback though was that he had to be careful of where he used his power because he no longer had the ability to become invisible to normal humans.

The Karakura Four (Orihime's idea that managed to stick) spent the rest of their high school days as a tight nit group that not many could understand. The class president (Ishida), the princess (Orihime), a gentle giant (Chad) and the delinquent (Ichigo) always looked like an insanely odd group when they would do things together, Tatsuki never minded though because Orihime was always surrounded by her protectors.

All good things had to come to an end though the inevitable happened… college. Ishida was the first to leave like Ichigo he chose to pursue a career in medicine, but unlike Ichigo he'd be damned if he worked with his father, opting to study in America. Chad also opted to study abroad in Spain he wasn't sure about a career to pursue, but he was glad when he got accepted. Orihime and Tatsuki moved to Okinawa for school, Tatsuki on an athletic scholarship and Orihime with a partial scholarship because of her high grades all through high school.

Ichigo was having a shit day after three years of training he still couldn't beat Yoruichi in a pure Hakuda match, he caught her in the speed department though, but refused to be called the God of Flash. On top of that he lost another game of chess against Kisuke, so he had to put up with the ridiculously dressed man's antics and that stupid fan (Oh how he hated the fan). It also meant that he would have to do a favor for Geta-Boshi at a later date. He was surprised by how much he enjoyed Chess though he always believed it was for nerds, but it engaged the more analytical parts of his mind changing his demeanor from hot headed teen to a somewhat level headed adult.

The young transcendent being casually strolled through the streets of Karakura with the sun brightly shining on his shoulders and hands stuffed in his pockets, he never begrudged staying home. He loved spending time with his sisters, who were becoming quiet lovely young ladies in their own right. Yuzu as no surprise was becoming more beautiful like their mother, while Karin had a rougher tomboy like beauty like Tatsuki or Rukia.

Aside from Goat-Chin occasionally sneaking into his apartment to attempt a sneak attack, things were surprisingly calm for him, only dealing with a few hollows a week. He had become a representative of the Thirteenth Division for Karakura, part of the reason was the newly appointed Central Forty-Six were scared shitless of him after seeing a certain video, they were more than eager to form an allegiance with him. He liked the arrangement because he actually got a salary for all the shit work he does for them, it wasn't a lot of money but he always had a roof over his head with spare money for the things he needed.

* * *

That's when he felt a familiar warm and comforting reiatsu at the edges of his senses… Inoue he thought with a slight smile which immediately turned into a scowl 'What the hell is she doing back in town during the week? She should be at school'. Always the inquisitive one and slightly (enormously) overprotective person he was he decided he wanted an answer. Fumbling through his pocket for his sleek black cell phone, then scrolling through his short list of numbers he placed his call.

Startling her out of her daydreams that consisted of little blue men fighting evil elves, was none other than the Haha song she made up in high school, later to record it on her phone as a ring tone. Eyeing the name curiously while biting her bottom lip in a mix of excitement and trepidation.

'How did Kurosaki-kun already know I was in town' confusion clearly written across her beautiful face, she was trying her best to suppress her reiatsu so she wouldn't worry him. 'Of course Kurosaki-kun has gotten a lot better at sensing reiatsu, he even told me he had an Inoue sense once' she giggled at that thought, quicksilver eyes dancing with amusement when she compared Ichigo to Spiderman. She finally picked up after the fourth ring.

"Hello Kurosaki-kun" she sing-songed.

"Yo Inoue how are you doing" he was trying to act as laid back as possible.

"I just got back in town what are you doing" she decided to just confirm what he already knew, she knew he was curious. He never just called, it was always a text to check up on her which she had to admit she loved about him. Once again she giggled thinking about when he said that he would tear a garganta open to Okinawa and kick some ass if anyone messed with her.

"Nothing I'm off school today. Do you want to grab lunch?"

"Of course Kurosaki-kun, do you want to meet at that little ramen shop by the school in about half an hour!?" she was excited, spending time around Ichigo always made her feel really funny inside, sometimes it made her feel like her whole body was overheating!

"Sounds good I'll see ya there bye"

"Bye bye Kurosaki-kun"

Just as she hung up, a black van pulled up tires screeching to a halt. Her heart fell into pit of her stomach as two men in black suits with dark sunglasses hiding their eyes proceeded to pull her into the van and speed away. She immediately felt handcuffs fastened securely to her wrists, tears immediately built up in the corners of her stormy eyes. She tried to use her powers to extricate herself from the captors but no matter what she did she couldn't call on them. Looking at the bracelets on her wrists she noted that they looked odd and strangely similar to the one Soul Society used on criminals. Just then a screen turned on in the van catching her attention admits her continued attempts to kick, bite and claw at the guards.

"Welcome to the Sekirei plan, so good to have you back number 90, Orihime!" came the eccentric voice of a man whose mannerisms reminded her uncomfortably of Kisuke.

A/N Well that turned out a lot longer than I expected questions, concerns, and helpful advice all appreciated hope you enjoyed the chapter. This is my first fic so if you could give any helpful advice it would be appreciated


	2. Chapter 2

He was being cautious as he ambled towards Takahati's ramen stand. Learning over the years to trust his gut feelings he was on guard. This feeling always came before something shitty would happen to fuck up his day. As if being kicked in the nuts by fate it happened, Inoue's reiatsu dropped off his internal radar. Eyes shooting wide open he turned in the direction he last sensed her and took off like an Olympic track star. He barreled through the crowded sidewalk knocking a few people off their feet… he could chastise himself later for his actions. Right now he had a single goal in mind 'FIND INOUE'. The phrase ricocheted around his skull repeating in a loop like a personal mantra.

Finally out of the crowded area and into an alley, he slipped into shunpo, a slight whisper was the only trace that he was ever there. He was nearing his destination as he dropped out of the signature Shinigami high speed technique. He could feel lingering traces of her comforting energy in the area. A horrible sense of nostalgia dug into his heart, it was happening again. She disappeared only leaving a trace of her essence as a clue. This time though the residual reiatsu wasn't on his hand, instead it resided on a cell phone. Not just any cell phone, it was shaped like a hamburger and shattered in the middle of the sidewalk. Cursing he stooped down to retrieve the pieces, before heading to the one person he trusted to help.

Rounding the corner into a small dirt lot that contained a small ordinary looking shop. To those that knew, this place was more than an ordinary candy store. It housed one of the greatest minds in three dimensions Urahara Kisuke.

"GETA-BOSHI" the frantic youth screeched as he bulled through the door. Not seeing him in the front of the store, he continued his visual and vocal search for the man hollering several times. Making his way to the back room where they usually held their meetings, he finally laid eyes on the object of his frantic search. Sitting across the table from the room's entrance, Kisuke calmly regarded his young apprentice with an unreadable expression.

Ichigo immediately knew he was all business. Forgoing his iconic hat and trademark fan they were resting on the table to his left, to his right sat a plain folder with no visible writing, and directly in front of him sat an ordinary chess board already set up to play. In ordinary circumstances one of them would have made a smart ass comment in greeting. Today was no ordinary day the tension in the air made that painfully obvious.

* * *

Maintaining eye contact with the bright haired hybrid, he began to cipher through the emotions playing across his face. Panic, worry, rage, and fear it was the last two emotions that he needed to eliminate. Rage could snatch victory from the greatest of warriors if left unchecked and at the moment Ichigo was an inferno. The fear was understandable, but none the less detrimental to success. Its ability to dull a blade along with reflexes was a recipe for death. The first two would abate on their own once he calmed down and got the information he was seeking. He had to reign him in before he even hinted at Orihime's whereabouts.

"Sit" the command was cold and contained immense weight.

Ichigo hesitated for a second while opening his mouth to demand answers, only to snap it shut and comply under the ex-assassin's stare. Taking a deep breath the hybrid tried to regulate his erratic heartbeat, it was working albeit slowly. The shop keeper made no effort to start a conversation, he only moved a single white pawn forward on the game board. Knowing better than anyone that the information would be revealed at Kisuke's own pace, he moved a black pawn forward with a shaky hand. His nerves were humming sitting still was a chore in itself. After a few minutes it was his turn to make a move again, no words had been exchanged at this point. Opting to move his Queen to get her involved in the fray, was when he heard the older man sigh.

"Tell me everything you know about Inoue Sora"

The question caught him off guard, of all the directions he imagined the conversation going this was not one of them.

Staring at his mentor he began "I really don't know a lot about him only meeting him briefly when he was a hollow. From what Tatsuki told me he seemed like he was a good person when he was alive. She told me that when he was eighteen he ran away from his abusive parents taking Orihime with him. Orihime told me once the he worked for a small firm in town and that he worked hard for very little money to support them when she was growing up. When Orihime was twelve he was involved in an accident where he received life threatening injuries, which he eventually died from at my dad's clinic. His spirit must have lingered in the world of the living for years watching over Orihime, before becoming a hollow like I said earlier. We had a brief battle in my room after he hollowfied before he went after Orihime. During the battle he was able to knock her soul free from her body. Another fight ensued during which he regained a semblance of his humanity and purified himself with my zanpakuto."

"That was very informative Ichigo, but also incorrect" the blonde haired man stated as he slid the folder across the table to the transcendent being.

* * *

-With Orihime-

Although she put up a strong front, on the inside she was terrified. She couldn't believe this was happening to her again, things like this were only supposed to happen in nightmares. Yet here she was reliving the hellish experience for a second time, this time though was completely against her will. She just sat quietly in the back of the van with the two men that plucked her from the side of the road. She couldn't believe how cliché the van was it had no seats or windows, the only unique attribute was the partition with a built in T.V. screen that separated the driver from the back.

At least the guards left her with peace and quiet once she stopped fighting with them. She let a small smirk tip up her lips at the sight of the larger guard tending to his bleeding nose. It was the result of a well-placed kick during the struggle. 'Tatsuki-Chan would have been proud of that one' the auburn haired girl chuckled mentally.

Even though they caught her off guard didn't mean she wouldn't put up a fight. Over the years since the war when she wasn't training with the large Visored known as Hachigen, she was with Tatsuki trying to increase her hand to hand fighting. The one thing she hated to do though was hurt others, it just wasn't in her nature. Even right now she was starting to feel a slight bit of sympathy for the abductor that met her foots fury.

That sympathy was crushed though when an image of the other assailant stomping her defenseless phone into the ground streaked through her mind. She loved that phone, it was a gift from Urahara-san. He even reassured her that it had special security to keep the little blue men out. It wasn't just the phone abuse that drew her ire, no it was a promise she made on her soul to Kurosaki-kun and Tatsuki-Chan, to never again be taken away without a fight.

Regarding the men with her most disgusted look as her eyes began to burn with resolve, she was on the move again. She seen her target not paying attention to her, he seemed to be having too much fun mocking the other man for his probably broken nose. Quickly before the phone stomper could react she slipped the chain linking her cuffs under his chin. With an instantaneous yank the physically bigger human was on top of her with his back against her midsection. Instinctively she wrapped her legs around his waist to somewhat control his struggling.

She didn't want to kill him, but if she could render him unconscious it would be a one on one fight with the other man. Maybe she could even lift a key to the bothersome bracelets adorning her wrists. She hissed as the edges of the restraints bit into her flesh drawing blood. A slight wince scrunched up her face when she felt the other man's fist connect painfully with her ribs. She had one advantage though her intended victim was starting to lose steam and his body was acting as an impromptu shield protecting her from the majority of the blows that rained down on her.

As if receiving a gift from above the van careened around a sharp corner just as her captive slipped into unconsciousness. The third combatant in the brawl lost his balance and slammed painfully back first into the side of the van, knocking the air from his lungs. Looking down on the man struggling to regain his breath, Orihime cringed at what she was about to do. 'Well Tatsuki-Chan always said that anything goes in a fight to protect yourself' she reassured herself as she brought her foot up only to slam it down at testicle shattering speed. She repeated the process several times before the van's brakes locked up sending her flailing into the partition at the front of the cargo hold.

* * *

She was winded and sore, she didn't even register when she was pulled from the van savagely by her hair and slammed without mercy into the ground. Keeping her eyes closed she waited for the end, a small smile gracing her cracked and bleeding lips. She could keep her soul and move on to Soul Society where she would find her beloved Onii-chan. 'Maybe Kurosaki-kun will come and find me' she thought as her smile became more serene.

"I would be smiling too after a fight like that, Orihime." came a smooth feminine voice that held a touch of equal parts excitement and bloodlust.

Cracking her eyes open, she could only squint due the bright sunshine, she could barely make out a faint outline of the woman standing above her. After a few more seconds her eyes began to focus giving a clearer image of the person that just slammed her around like a rag doll. The first thing she noticed was that her outfit consisted of a tight black leather top, a miniskirt and stockings, over her shoulders she wore a grey haori. What she noticed next was the women's light gray hair that was tied into a ponytail, the color of her hair she noted matched perfectly with her grey eyes. What troubled her though was the nodachi in her hands, normally seeing a sword wouldn't unnerve her, she's seen hundreds after all. No it was the women's posture that had her slightly panicking, she held a stance that seemed loose and relaxed. Orihime knew it was just a façade everything about her screamed 'experienced warrior'.

"Why are you doing this?" her voice sounded meek and a little strained even to her ears.

"I am not the person to explain that to you, but you will have your answers soon enough" the Black Sekirei stated as she reached down and hauled the downed teen to her feet.

"You would have already had them if you hadn't created such a ruckus" she chuckled with a slight amount of amusement shining in her eyes while looking at the mayhem the smaller female created.

Even in her situation she managed a small blush when the powerful individual in front of her seemingly praised her for her actions. This has got to be the weirdest abductions in history she concluded. 'One moment I'm fighting for my life and the next, one of the kidnappers is praising me for putting up such a good fight'.

"Can you at least tell me where we are going?" the question was met with an annoyed glance from the other sekirei.

"I will answer some of your questions as we start moving." She stated turning to address the men in the back "HEY numb nuts drag your sorry ass into the front seat, and you…" she started pointing at the other man with her sheathed blade "get your ass out of the van you're walking back to headquarters."

"What why?" the newly conscious man croaked, his voiced was a strained whisper the result of his recent strangulation.

"Why you ask? It should be self-explanatory, you are worthless and incompetent. If it wasn't for me this little powerless sekirei would have escaped!" she exclaimed her voice raising throughout the conversation in clear annoyance.

Looking around the empty park they were occupying, the belittled man made a last attempt to prove himself "Why don't you give me a little alone time in the bushes with that little bitch, I'm sure I can make her very compliant."

He knew he was fucked when the response he received from the Black Sekirei was a disgusted glare. Whatever he was about to say in his defense was lost forever as Karsuba disappeared from his sight. Startling Orihime when she reappeared behind the man a split second before his head fell from his shoulders and blood erupted from the wound. It wasn't that Karsuba held any fondness for her fellow sekirei, but she wasn't about to let what that bastard was implying happen though.

* * *

Seeing what happened to his colleague, the other guard was not about to make the same mistake. He just simply half limped and half dragged himself to the front seat, thankful for the little leniency that he was afforded. Seeing the other guard comply with her request Karasuba motioned for the busty teen to get back in the van. Once they were moving again the older female produced a small key from her pocket before leaning forward to remove her captive's bindings.

"Heal yourself." It was a simple command that left no room for arguments.

Orihime nibbled on her lower lip nervously, after the war Urahara warned her about using her Soten Kisshun in front of strangers. It was one of the reasons Aizen had initially took interest in her and later had her abducted for. "I don't know what you mean, I don't know how to heal myself." She replied with her head down auburn hair covering her face from view.

Sighing to herself the silver haired woman contemplated on how much she hated going on Minaka's stupid little missions, it was a far cry from the days of cutting down armies on Kamikura Island.

"I am not as foolish as you seem to think. We knew your name, we knew exactly where to find you, we know about all of your friends, and we know all about your powers." Pausing a little bit to let the information sink in she continued "So just heal yourself and to answer one of your questions, we are on our way to the capital Shinto Teito."

* * *

-With Ichigo-

"Ueda Sora" the unfamiliar name rolled of his tongue. He couldn't believe what he was looking at, the picture was definitely Inoue's brother, but the facts were all wrong. According to file Kisuke had given him Sora was a researcher of some kind at MBI, one of the biggest damn companies in the world, hell they pretty much own the whole capital if the news reports were accurate. The other thing that drew his attention was Sora's date of birth, it would have made him at least twenty eight when he moved to Karakura with Orihime! What the hell was going on this made no sense at all, all this provided was more questions than answers. Looking up at Geta- Boshi as he twirled his stripped hat on his finger lazily.

"What the hell is this!" he questioned with a demanding tone.

"That Ichigo is the truth about Inoue-Sans's brother. Well he is technically not her brother, not by blood anyway." Pausing to take a sip of tea that Tessai had recently brought in he continued "Inoue-san is more special than we first imagined Ichigo."

"Please don't tell me let me guess, Inoue is some sort of experiment created by MBI, another far more believable scenario she is a high tech alien, or maybe she is from the future to save the world." The unbelieving orange haired teen stated, sarcasm dripping from his words.

"Wow you actually guessed it on your second try" the exuberant shop keeper cheered hat back on fan in front of his face.

He wanted to punch the childish bastard so bad at the moment, he hated it when he acted that way in serious moments. Had it been a few short years earlier he had no doubt that he would have at least elbowed him in the nose. He had to admit though his methods while strange were effective, he was definitely calmer than when he came in. He needed to keep him talking though, if too much time passed Kisuke would slip back into the chess game and the answers would stop.

"So what you're saying is that she is fact an alien"

"Yep an alien known as a Sekirei!" Looking at his protégé and the unsurprised look at his exclamation he asked "You're not surprised Ichigo, why is that?"

"Well I'm not, not really anyway I figured she had to be inhuman with some of things she ate." The teen chuckled recalling the odd combinations of food she routinely put together. It got to a point where himself, Chad, or Ishida regularly carried honey, wasabi, and red bean paste on them when the group went out to eat.

* * *

"Can I ask you where you got all this information Geta-Boshi?"

"A good informant never reveals his sources Kurosaki-san" the shop keeper sing-songed waiving his fan at his companion. Noticing the increasingly sour mood Ichigo was slipping into after that comment he relented "I always had suspicions about Inoue-san's origins, when I had time after the war I decided to look further into them…" He continued with a heavy sigh "I hit a road block though I couldn't find a damn thing, nothing about her parents and definitely nothing in Sora's background. So I took a long shot and gave her a special cellphone." Holding up a hand to placate Ichigo before he could fire off more questions.

"I never eavesdropped on her calls if that's what you are thinking, the phone merely collected samples of her reiatsu for me to examine and do further research with. It also had a secondary function that was quite clever if I say so myself, it alerted me if anyone tried to hack into the phone to steal information from it. Mostly it was horny high school kids probably hoping to find naughty pictures of her, but one alert was peculiar it was very well cloaked and I almost missed it. I didn't though and was able to trace it back to MBI, after using my extraordinary hacking skills…" he stopped to hold up two fingers in a victory sign before continuing "I was able to get into their personal files and happened across the name Ueda Sora. Apparently Sora was the adjuster of only one Sekirei number 90 Orihime, he was quite a sneaky individual though instead of merely adjusting her powers he sealed them inside of her. We both can guess why they were reawakened though."

He paused to stare pointedly at Ichigo, who because of his lack of reiatsu control caused several people to awaken powers. "After sealing her powers he left MBI in secret to live a normal life, he also went as far as to set up a trust fund for Orihime incase anything ever happened to him. The only condition he had on the trust was that the money dispersed had to seem like it came from a distant relative, to keep Orihime from becoming too curious about their past."

"Ok I get how you found out about Sora, but what about the Sekirei?" he asked rubbing his temples this whole business was giving him a head ache.

"Well it was the president of MBI Hirato Minaka that discovered the Sekirei species on Kamikura Island, when it emerged from the ocean depths. After finding the aliens and their ship he used their technology to make MBI into the powerhouse company it is today. It seems that he has another hobby that is unknown to the public. He is setting up a game involving the Sekirei, think of it as a deadly battle royal, with one Sekirei and their Ashikabi coming out on top to receive an undetermined prize…" being interrupted he stopped

"What is an Ashikabi?" the confused teen asked

"Right I figured you would ask that, an ashikabi is the equivalent to a soul mate as it were to the Sekirei. Normally a Sekirei will physically react to their destined ashikabi, it usually consists of an elevated temperature and maybe being extremely flustered in their presence. If the ashikabi accepts the sekirei they will form a bond by winging them, which is done with a kiss. Only certain people with specific genetic markers can become an ashikabi…" slightly annoyed with being interrupted again he waited for Ichigo to ask his question.

"You said normally they react, but what if they didn't react could an ashikabi form the bond anyway?" inquired the bright haired teen a little more than uncomfortable with the idea of someone winging Inoue.

"Yes they could it is called forced winging. It is a despicable act that is regularly practiced to gain an upper hand in the game. The worst thing is that once winged, the Sekirei is bound to their ashikabi for life Ichigo. Meaning if they were forced they become the equivalent to a slave for life." Eyeing the man across from him he hoped that he could keep his temper in check.

"Is there a way to break the bond Kisuke?" he was fuming he could handle Inoue finding her soul mate (barely), but he would murder anyone that tried to force her into servitude.

"Not that I have found, the bond is so deep that if you kill the Ashikabi the sekirei will die also, forced bond or not it doesn't matter."

"Where is all of this happening? Is it going on in the Capital?" the subsided rage from earlier was starting to resurface at a frightening rate he was done talking, it was time for action.

"Yes."

With that simple confirmation Ichigo was on his feet heading towards the door. She had only been gone an hour at the most they couldn't have reached the capital yet. Before he could make his exit though the shop keeper called out to him.

"Ichigo before you charge in blindly, I want to talk to you." The blonde haired man stated as he beckoned for him to sit again. "I know that you've already calculated the time she's been gone to the time it takes to get to the capital, so don't tell me that you don't have the time." He finished fixing him with a stern gaze.

He trusted Kisuke with his life, if wanted him to hold up to talk he would comply. It had to be important for the hatted man to stop his usual strategy, which consisted of rushing in, blowing shit up, and kicking some ass. So with no hesitation he reclaimed his seat at the table before claiming his own cup of tea to take a drink.

"What is the most important piece on a chess board Ichigo?"

Once again caught completely off guard by Kisuke's line of questioning he replied "The king is the most important followed by the Queen why?"

"They are important pieces to be sure, if your queen is so important why do you always allow it to get captured?"

He knew he used a double meaning in his question talking both about Inoue and the chess piece. It was true that in every game he played Kisuke would force his queen into a position where he was forced to surrender it.

"If they're not the most important pieces then which ones are?"

"The small insignificant pawns are Ichigo. They have limitless potential, at first they only have the ability to go forward. Albeit slowly one spot at a time, straight forward or diagonally, but forward none the less. For all their weaknesses it's their potential that makes them so dangerous. With careful guidance and support they can become very powerful taking on the characteristics of any other piece on the board." To further emphasize his point he slid the pawn he had been weaving through Ichigo's defenses into the last row, earning his pawn a promotion. To which he motioned to his captured queen, which he used earlier as bait to force Ichigo into surrendering his own. With a groan the Visored switched the pieces earning Kisuke an instant checkmate.

"It wasn't that long ago that you were a pawn in mine and Aizen's personal chess match, and look at where you are today a frighteningly strong qu…"

"Call me a queen and I will personally shove your Geta up your ass!" He knew the comparison he was making, but he would be damned if he let himself be called a queen!

"Fine fine no need to be violent, but you get my point these Sekirei are only pawns to Minaka. He seems to consider himself as a sort of game master. This time I'm not going to be the one playing the game against him, you are." He finished by pointed his fan at Ichigo.

"So you're saying I'm not even a piece on the board and you want me to guide a Sekirei to victory?" now he was confused Urahara's schemes were never simple.

"No nothing like that, well maybe a little like that" the overly enthusiastic man laughed once again brandishing his fan "What I want from you is to tune down your usual level of violence and be an observer."

"Fuck that I'm not going to sit back and do nothing!" he slammed his hands on the table proving his rising anger at the suggestion of not being able to protect Inoue in this sick game.

"I never told you not to get involved you thick headed brat! I was trying to subtly tell you not to use your powers to fight in this, I want you to listen to me and not just half assed listen like you usually do!" Calming himself down was a slow process, it was very hard to get him to lose his composure, but Ichigo's bull headed ways sometimes grated his nerves. "We both know what a mere swing of your Zangetsu can do, you destroy mountains if you don't keep yourself in constant check. Do I need to remind you of the forest you destroyed slaying your first hollow after the war? I know you have gotten a lot better at controlling your strength Ichigo, but it will only take one little slip to start a chain of events that I don't personally want to see." He finished solemnly

"What the hell do you mean by that?"

"Think about if you let your power slip in a populated area, what that would do to I don't know, let's say an elementary school or an apartment complex! The Soul Society would have no choice, hero or not they will hold you accountable for such an accident. They would at least try to strip you of your powers if not kill you outright." He had to make sure Ichigo understood this, he just sighed when he seen the defiant look in the teens eyes. "It would cause a civil war you know, an order like that would never sit well with those that support you. The Eleventh Division would probably outright mutiny along with Rukia, Renji, and several others, let alone the support from myself, Tessai, Yoruichi, the Visoreds, and not to mention Sado-san, Ishida-san, and Inoue-san. Would you really be so selfish to drag them into another war because you wanted to use your blade instead of your head?"

"No" it was a quiet response, he never thought of that. This wasn't a battle in Hueco Mundo or even in the outskirts of the Rukongai, the incident with the forest scared him so much he doubled his efforts to control his strength. If he let his power slip in the city it could be a catastrophe and he sure as hell didn't want to start a war. The ones that would suffer the most would be the innocent souls devoured by hollows, while their protectors were caught up in a war.

Cracking a small smile the teacher in him finally relented to give his student some hope. "I guess it wouldn't be so bad for you to fight, but I'm calling in the favor you owe me."

He knew that favor was going to bite him in the ass "What's the favor"

"You can use all of your powers, except for Zangetsu unless it is a dire need. You shouldn't have trouble without it. I know you are purely a Zanjutsu fighter, but your Hoho, Hakuda, and even Kido are captain class. This might be a good chance to utilize them in actual combat…" he was getting ready to send him on his way before a thought struck him "and absolutely no Ceros like Zangetsu you create too much destruction with them."

Clenching his fist he grated out "Is that all Kisuke" he favored using his zanpakuto that was no secret, but a close second would be his cero. After learning to control it he loved to use it in conjunction with his sword play.

"Yeah, that's all enjoy your trip Ichigo." He waved at him jovially, as if they hadn't even discussed the serious shit that transpired a few moments earlier.

"Oi, by the way call Ukitake and let him know I'm going to be gone for a while, he might need to assign a replacement."

"Already done Ichigo, now hurry up and get going."

He was glad to have Kisuke around, the man always knew how to get him focused. So without any more screwing around he tore open a garganta aiming to land just outside the city to start his infiltration.

A/N First I would like to thank everyone that reviewed, favorited, and followed this. I know the chapter was a little slow, it was a set up chapter. Can't have Ichigo ripping Minaka's head off in the second chapter after all. So the next chapter will take place in the capital, about a month or so before Minato arrives. For those of you that are worried I won't make Ichigo weak, but this won't be an Ichigo curb stomps the Sekirei universe either. Anyway hope you enjoyed the chapter.


	3. Chapter 3

Jumping out of his garganta the young hybrid touched down softly. The sun was starting to set over the thriving metropolises below, which he had to admit gave it calm and peaceful appearance. 'She could be at MBI headquarters, it makes sense. That would also mean a frontal assault like Hueco Mundo and that turned into a real shit show. No! I'm going to have to do this Kisuke's way.' He was getting ready to let out his spiritual senses to begin tracking Inoue, when his pocket started to vibrate. Scowling a bit at being interrupted he dug through his pocket to retrieve his phone. Cursing at which name showed up on the display screen, he tentatively answered the call.

"Hello Ukitake Taicho what can I do for you?"

"No need to be so formal Ichigo. I just received a rather troubling call from Urahara-san and I wanted to clear up the details with you." Stated the white haired dual sword wielder.

"Right, something came up and I'm going to be on vacation for a while. I just wanted to let you know so preparations could be made in case I took longer than expected." Lied the young visored.

"Lying doesn't suit you very well Ichigo, you're not very good at it. Besides Urahara-san already told me all about the Sekirei, so why are you trying so hard to cover this up?"

"Because Inoue is involved and the Gotei Thirteen doesn't have the best track record when it comes to beings with unique powers." The teen stated rather bluntly.

Ukitake actually blanched a little at that. It was true the Central Forty-Six was comprised of xenophobes, which preferred to kill off those different than themselves, instead of implementing a live and let live policy. The Mod-Souls, Bounts, Visoreds and Quincy all raced to mind after the teen made his statement.

"So you decided not to tell us because you don't trust us is that it?"

"Partially yes, don't misunderstand me Ukitake you know my loyalty is to the Seireitei, but right now I want to do this on my own. If you could keep this quiet for me I would appreciate it."

"Why all the secrecy Ichigo?"

"Aside from what I already stated I don't want Kurotsuchi getting wind of the Sekirei. God only knows what he would put them through."

With a heavy sigh he had to give in, Ichigo brought up good points. With Inoue being a Sekirei he had to agree that keeping his demented colleague and the others out of the loop would probably be for the best. He owed the young lady that much after she cured him of his chronic illness. He was really glad he had that coughing fit in front of her, after explaining the circumstances, being the kind soul that she is she insisted on letting her help him. He was amazed at the results, the young teen had managed to heal something that no other in the Seireitei had been able to do. He would keep this quiet, his honor wouldn't allow him to do otherwise.

"You have my word that I will not tell anyone else Ichigo, not even Shunsui."

"Thank you Ukitake, did Geta-Boshi also mention his conditions for my participation in this?"

"Yes he did and I agree with his logic one hundred percent. Not using your power will also help keep you under Squad Twelve's radar." The older man confirmed.

"One other thing, I might have to get my hands dirty in this mission." The young transcendent warned.

Ukitake was never comfortable with letting his subordinates kill anything but hollows. For Ichigo of all people to indirectly request permission left an unsettling feeling in his stomach. He knew Ichigo wasn't a blood thirsty individual, but he also knew that if an innocent were in danger Ichigo wouldn't hesitate to use lethal force. He didn't like it, but he trusted Ichigo's judgment.

"That's fine, just please use your best judgment and keep the body count as low as possible." Pleaded the Thirteenth's Taicho.

"Understood, I will get in touch with you when I find Inoue, bye Ukitake."

"Be careful Ichigo talk to you later."

* * *

Placing his phone back in his pocket, he let out his spiritual sense. It was cumbersome to cover the whole city and much to his chagrin he wasn't able to. To his amazement though this city was packed with individuals with high reiatsu. From his vantage point on a steep hill bordering the city, he could feel at least fifty different signatures. Though they were different individuals all the signatures came back eerily similar.

'FUCK' he was pissed, all of these Sekirei had a damn near identical reiatsu to Inoue. Things just got a shit load more complicated for the orange haired hybrid. With his spiritual senses still trying to locate the busty healer, he felt a sudden spike in reiatsu indicating that someone was in trouble. He was gone a split second later in a whisper of shunpo.

"Stop resisting me you little bitch!" demanded a young brown haired man, who appeared to be in his mid-twenties.

"No! Please stop you are not my destined Ashikabi!" pleaded the frantic young lady. She was tired, it had been an all-day game of hide and seek, except this game had not been played for joy. No matter where she went the young man was hot on her heals, her giant hammer made it difficult for her to hide. Now she was finally out of breath without the energy to run another step. 'I don't want this, not from him, why is this happening to me.' She was crying now as he roughly grabbed her by her chin tilting her face up towards him.

Ichigo rounded the corner into the alleyway just as their lips met. He was disgusted with himself, he heard her pleas for help as he was drawing near. He pumped as much reiatsu in his legs as he could, but it still wasn't enough. He could only stop and stare when light azure wings erupted from her back, made completely out of energy.

With tears still in her eyes she addressed her new ashikabi "I am Sekirei number 84, Yashima your wish is my command Ashikabi-Sama." Finishing by bowing to her new master.

Ichigo was seeing red at the image in front of him, an emotionally broken, brown haired, grey eyed girl was just forced to pledge her loyalty to a scumbag. An image of a crying Inoue overlapped with the young Sekirei, who was now sitting on the ground exhausted from her winging. He didn't even realize when he started moving again or if he even had his power contained (he did). When his mind cleared the newly made Ashikabi was flat on his back holding a shattered nose.

"What the fuck is your problem you fucking asshole!" the brown haired man roared as he scrambled to his feet producing a small knife from inside his pullover sweatshirt.

"You just forced yourself on that Sekirei you pile of shit!" the Visored shot back before continuing in a spookily calm voice "and I don't plan on letting you walk out of this alley."

He was cursing himself mentally for the chill that ran down spine at this kid's voice. He was even more disheartened by the involuntary shake in his hand. 'What the hell am I shaking for I'm the one with the knife god damn it! This little bastard just caught me off guard is all.' With some small measure of resolve restored he charged forward intending to impale his opponent. He nearly shit his pants when his hand was stopped mid strike, his eyes widened when he caught a glimpse of the incoming fist. With a sickening thud he was sent reeling back once again.

"Why are you doing this to me" the downed man slurred, spitting up a small glob of blood. "They are nothing more than tools to be used in the game."

He made up his mind he was going to kill this fucker! Anybody that looks at another living person as just a tool, is a piece of shit in his book. It was no longer time for conversation, he wasn't going to enjoy doing this. Stalking towards his intended prey like the apex predator that he was, was when a small hand gripped his sleeve tugging him away from the fearful man. Looking down into the grey eyes that were moments ago spilling tears, he noticed that they were burning with defiance now directed solely at him.

"I-I can't let you kill my Ashikabi." Her voice was small and trembling, but it held her conviction.

Sighing he removed her hand from his sleeve, that's when he remembered what Kisuke had said 'If you kill the Ashikabi you will kill the Sekirei.' Closing his eyes his heart filled with regret he wouldn't kill this man, but he damn sure wouldn't let him off the hook scot free either. With quick fluid hand movements he chanted.

Bakudo 1, Sai locking the young brown haired girls arms behind her. He regarded her with a sad look kneeling down beside her.

"I won't kill him, but he has to be punished for what he did to you."

Standing up he turned his attention back to the object of his fury. Said object was on his belly trying to crawl away from the wrathful transcendent. A shrill scream reverberated off the walls surrounding them after Ichigo drove his foot hard into the man's lower back, eliciting a sickening snap.

"My legs, oh god I can't feel my legs!"

That was the last thing Ichigo heard before releasing the Bakudo and taking off in a burst of speed.

* * *

-With Orihime-

Her eyes fluttered open when she felt the van come to a gentle stop. 'Huh I must have fell asleep after we started moving again' she thought as she stretched her arms above her head yawning. Locking eyes with her temporary travel companion the young healer asked. "Are we finally there?"

Her only reply was a nod and a hand beckoning her to move towards the sliding door. Stepping out of the van the busty teen noted that they were in an underground parking complex. There were several sets of elevator doors that the group of four started moving towards. Cutting her eyes to the left she looked at the man that she had fought with on the way here, she was satisfied when he averted his gaze to anything that wasn't in her direction.

Hitting the call button for the elevator the grey haired Sekirei turned to her shorter companion.

"We're going to the top floor to meet the president of MBI, Hiroto Minaka, he will be the one to answer any questions you may have."

"T-The president of MBI!" Orihime squeaked. She knew that whatever she was involved in was big, she never thought it would be that big though.

The ding signifying the elevators arrival brought her out of her thoughts. When the doors opened she moved forward on shaky legs. She was nervous now, never would she have ever imagined that she would meet the head of one of the biggest companies in the world. The auburn hair teen eyed the control panel with a bit of wonderment, her fingers were itching to press all the numbered buttons. That idea brought a smile to her pretty face, 'Onii-Chan would always get so frustrated whenever I did that'. She giggled drawing the attention of the older woman.

"Press only number 70 or I will personally remove your hands, am I understood." The cold sekirei stated, looking down at the younger females pout she just sighed. "If you want your answers it would be best to quit screwing around."

Saluting the older woman, Orihime pushed only one button before putting her hands behind her back and moving far away from the control panel. She waited in the back of the elevator playing with the ends of her hair, humming a nameless tune. Doing whatever she could think of to ease some of her nervousness.

Listening to the large breasted girl humming was starting to give her a head ache, in fact this whole damn mission had given her a migraine. The only eventful thing that she had done so far was kill that bastard of a security guard and that could barely sate her desire to fight for a little while. Stepping out of the elevator on the top floor she considered returning to her own room, her curiosity got the best of her though. She wasn't really interested in the girl, it was another person that peeked her interest. When she read through Orihime's file she came across something interesting. One of the young girl's acquaintances was described as extremely powerful, he was also reported as being an unclassified individual. Meaning that he was neither human or Sekirei, it made her blood burn with excitement; this being could possibly give her the fight she had been looking for. 'Kurosaki Ichigo…' the name nudged the corners of her mouth up into a wistful smile.

* * *

Sitting behind a large desk was a tall slender man, he was dressed from head to toe in white, and he also wore a long high collared cloak to complete his immaculate look. Resting his elbows on his desk with his hands clasped and fingers forming a steeple, the bespectacled man could barely contain his excitement. After fifteen years one of his little birds was returning to him, just in time to compete in the most amazing game known to man. If he was being honest it wasn't her return that had him excited, it was the answers she could provide. Three years ago number 90's power popped back up on his radar, in the small town of Karakura. What amazed him more was all the different power signatures that constantly accompanied hers. It was driving him insane (more insane) not knowing who these people were or what powers they held.

Twice during his surveillance of the buxom teen did he lose complete track of her for long stints of time (when she was in Soul Society and Hueco Mundo). What had him more perplexed was when one of her companions returned with her, from wherever they went, and had no traceable energy. Every person had an energy signal, even if it was very small it was always there. It didn't matter if it was an infant or a person on the verge of death, everyone could be traced by him! Except Kurosaki Ichigo, when he first observed them the orange haired teen gave off one of the highest energy readings he had ever encountered. Now the young man was a complete ghost unless he was captured on camera! When the ding on the elevator sounded he was quivering with joy, only to face plant a second later when the bubbly girl dashed past him and onto the large rooftop terrace outside of his office.

Her nervousness quickly subsided when the elevator doors opened to reveal one of the most amazing rooms she had ever seen. The ceilings where twenty feet high, it had incredible intricate columns lining the walls, also a large main frame lined the wall to her left. Her eyes drifted to the large Sekirei symbol stamped into the grey granite that was inlayed with gold. Completely bypassing the occupant of the room her eyes sparkled when they landed on the doors at the back. Being hopelessly curious her whole life she couldn't resist the urge to have a look. Her travel companion couldn't help but face palm when she made her dash for the doors.

"Wow this is so cool!" she chirped then jumped when a deep thundering echo sounded behind her. Whirling around, she gawked at the giant clock as it chimed that ten o'clock had come.  
"Karasuba look look, this view is amazing! You can see the whole capital from up here! The young adult cheered.

"I am well aware of that Orihime. I have seen the view up here many times before." Sighed MBI's hound. This girl was something else she thought, 'going from timid detainee, to fierce fighter, back to timid, and now she is acting like a damn tourist.' That was it, she was convinced this one and Musubi had to be sister Sekirei, 'and just like Musubi this girl is going to lead me to a worthy opponent.' Gently taking the girls arm she led her back inside.

* * *

"You wanted answers, well this is the man that is going to give you them." The tired looking Sekirei stated pointing to Minaka.

Bowing at the waist she greeted the man she completely ignored earlier "It is nice to meet you Hiroto-san, my name is Inoue Orihime." She knew who he was, it was hard not to, him and his ridiculous white hair had been plastered all over the news lately.

"My my so polite, it seems that Ueda-san did a wonderful job raising you!" the exuberant man replied.

"Ueda-san?" the confused girl questioned tilting her head to the side trying to recall the name.

"Yes Ueda Sora the man that took care of you ever since the day you were born." He knew she wouldn't know that name, he just really enjoyed toying with people. To further mess with her, he led her to one of the computer monitors in his office. Where he proceeded to move his fingers across the keyboard at amazing speeds, bringing up a video of a young toddler and black haired man.

"Come on Orihime you can do it!" encouraged the black haired man in the video, as the small child looked at him clutching the edge of the bed like a life line. After a few seconds a large smile lite up the bright haired toddlers face, as she made small shaky steps on chubby little legs. Five unsteady steps later and she was in the grasp of her caretaker, being swung around in a slow circle, eliciting a squeal of delight from the small girl, as he laughed and gazed at her with a look that could only be described as pride.

Before any questions could be asked a notification lit up the screen signifying that number 84, Yashima had been winged.

"Well isn't this interesting one of your sisters has met her Ashikabi! Let's have a look and see who the lucky person is!" the eccentric man jumped for joy, twirling in a circle before pulling up the live feed.

What awaited them when satellite linked up was not what they were expecting. It showed the newly claimed Sekirei's wings burst from her back, that was fairly standard, but the beating of the newly christened Ashikabi wasn't. Everyone in the room except for Karasuba flinched when the hybrid stomped on the man's back. Minaka was enthralled by the spell the unidentifiable anomaly used to detain the young woman, Karasuba was buzzing with delight at his sheer brutality, and Orihime was heartbroken at the rage that marred Ichigo's handsome face. She was so confused, she made no effort to stop the tears slowly rolling down her cheeks. Whatever she was caught up in involved her departed brother and now apparently the love of her life also.

"Wow he is quite the blood hound! You haven't even been gone three hours and he is hot on your trail terrorizing the city! This is going to make the game immensely more enjoyable for me!" Minaka cheered throwing his hands to the sky as if he just received a gift from the gods. "Now Orihime it is time to explain to you what you are involved in."

* * *

-With Ichigo-

The Squad Thirteen representative sat on a roof top trying to calm his nerves. His hands were shaking with pent up energy, his heart was pounding in his ears, and he had a severe case of tunnel vision. He couldn't believe this soon into his mission and he had already snapped. 'What the fuck was that back there! I-I didn't even realize when I hit him, not that I feel bad about that piece of shit. This is exactly what Kisuke was talking about, when it comes to Inoue being in trouble my control is shit. Taking deep breaths to calm himself down, Ichigo once again tried to get a bead on Inoue's location. Once again he came up short, that's when he felt a tingling at the edges of his conciseness.

This one wasn't panicked though it gave of a warmth that seemed to draw him near. He knew this type of warmth it was comparative to the feeling that Inoue always gave off when he was around her, it had a calming effect on him. He was grateful that the soothing essence was bringing him out of his negative mood. He was compelled to find the source and the close proximity wouldn't be a burden on his search.

Jumping across rooftops while cloaked in the shadows was his preferred method of travel, it gave him amazing sight lines to potential enemies, and also it allowed him to keep away from curious eyes. Landing on the roof of a three story apartment complex he spotted the object of his new search.

The woman he spotted was definitely the one who drew his attention, in a park below stood a well-endowed young woman with long, dark brown hair, brown eyes and a curvaceous figure. She was wearing a pink/violet belly top with a golden star on the front, along with Capri jeans and sandals to complete her look. She was laughing and playing around with a young girl, who he guessed was around his sister's age. The scene before him made the warmth start to return to his heart, 'this is how it should be' he mused. Another thought struck him though 'what the hell is every Sekirei a beautiful woman, I know that I have only met three but those three are all very attractive. At least this one has found a decent Ashikabi.' His inner monologue was cut off when he noticed the two part ways with an affectionate hug at a third story apartment, not far from where he was watching them.

Figuring he might be able to get some information out of the taller woman, he waited for her to leave, hopefully for a more private area to have their discussion. What he wasn't expecting was for her to be so damn agile and quick. With a single leap she was on the opposite roof heading in the other direction. Cursing himself for being too lax he coiled his legs preparing for a shunpo, when a high pitched scream caught him off guard. His big brother instincts kicked in over drive, he had no doubts where the scream originated from. Changing his direction he was instantly through the apartment door that the little girl disappeared inside a few moments prior.

* * *

Struggling on the kitchen floor with a larger man with slicked back greasy hair, he was wearing a suit that just screamed lackey. In the intruders grip was a syringe, which he was desperately trying to shove in the terrified girls arm.

"Hold still you stupid bitch, wouldn't want to accidently stick myself now would I heh heh." He chuckled cruelly at her predicament, while bringing up his hand intending to beat her in to compliance.

"Hado 1, Sho" The over protective teen recited knocking the man off of the distressed victim with an invisible thrust of power. Not satisfied when the attacker slammed into the refrigerator he cast a Bakudo "Disintegrate, you black dog of Rondanini! Look upon yourself with horror and then claw out your own throat! Bakudo 9, Geki." The newly paralyzed man was instantly terrified as he was being held by an invisible force.

Pulling off his captives tie, Ichigo quickly tied it around his head as a makeshift gag. He knew the man wouldn't be getting out of his spell anytime soon. So he calmly retrieved the syringe that rolled under a small table inside the kitchen, before dragging the bound man to the bathroom, dumping him in the tub. Satisfied he went back to the small female sitting on the kitchen floor with her knees to her chest. Each sob that escaped her was tearing at his restraint, he wanted nothing more than to strand the bastard in the tub in the unforgiving deserts of Hueco Mundo. He needed him alive at the moment though.

"Hey" he began softly kneeling down next to her, he understood when she flinched away from his touch.

He waited a minute or so before he attempted to console her again.

"It's over he can't hurt you anymore." Once again he used a tender voice that was almost exclusively used for Yuzu when she was upset.

His calming voice caressed her in a sense of security, with slowly movements she brought her head up to look at the man who saved her. What she saw was not what she was expecting, the man before here looked like a delinquent and more of a threat then the man that attacked her! It was his eyes though that made her want to believe in his words, they were a warm chocolate brown that radiated protectiveness and concern.

"W-Who are you." She sniffled adding a small thank you when he handed her a Kleenex.

"I was just someone that heard you scream and wanted to help"

"Should we call the police?" she asked her voice becoming a little more stable.

"I'll take care of that, is there anyone you can call family perhaps?"

Watching her shake her head no to answer him, he blew out a breath and tried again.

"OK so no family, do you have a friend you can call?" he wanted her to call her Sekirei so he could question her after he was done with his other interrogation. When she nodded yes he smiled.

"Can you tell me who it is and what they look like so I'm not startled when they arrive?" He once again questioned in a comforting voice, he knew he was being underhanded, but he was in desperate need of information.

"Her name is Uzume, she is about your age and really pretty. She's also really umm…" she blushed as she used her hands to gesture the shape of a curvaceous woman.

He chuckled at her shyness 'At least she's somewhat calm now' and he had no doubt she was describing the Sekirei from earlier.

"OK I got it" he stated holding up his hand to stop her impromptu game of charades "I want you to call her and then go watch some T.V. and wait for her. I'm going to call the police and have a talk with our guest." He had no intentions of calling the police, but she didn't need to know that. Once again he hated the path he was being forced to take.

* * *

Watching her give a small nod and scamper into living room, he pocketed a knife from the display set resting on the counter. Making his way slowly towards the bathroom, he steeled his nerves for what he was about to do. Interrogation wasn't his strong suit, but Yoruichi definitely made sure it was in his arsenal. Quietly he threw up a sound barrier and gazed at the man with cold eyes, any traces of warmth had long fled his chocolaty pools.

"This is going to be very unpleasant and you're going to tell me everything I want to know" He started as he jammed the blade through the prisoners knee cap until it surfaced out the other side. The hybrid almost winced at the man's muffled screams.

"What were you preparing to do to that young girl?" All he received in return was a defiant stare. Reaching for the immobile hand in front of him he latched onto to the middle digit, before forcing it to touch the back of the whimpering man's hand. He didn't repeat his question he just calmly grabbed the ring finger repeating the process, drawing another cry of agony. Doing this made his stomach hurt, but he couldn't afford to lose his nerve. Pulling the knife out caused a pool of blood to start building up on the man's pant leg. Still no response so he aimed the tip for the man's eye jabbing just below it into his cheek bone. It was shallow but extremely painful.

"What do you know I missed, let me try again."

"MMPHM, MMPHM" the black haired quadriplegic frantically cried his compliance. It was just a job and whoever this demon was meant business 'FUCK HIGA, this was all his damn idea'

Pulling out a small note pad and pen, which he also lifted from the counter, he undid the man's gag.

"Same question as before what were you trying to do?"

"I was going to infect her with a deadly virus." He wheezed out through the pain.

"Why?" the orange haired man fired off scribbling down his previous answer.

"He thought she was going to wing a powerful Sekirei, he wanted to use the cure to control her."

'This fucking game is getting out of hand, who the fuck would intentionally infect a young girl?' an image of Yuzu and Karin interrupted his thoughts.

"Who ordered you to do this?"

"Higa, Higa Izumi he is known as the Ashikabi of the East. He also owns Hiyamakai Hospital and is the heir of a pharmaceutical company that rivals MBI."

"For a lackey you sure know a lot, you're not lying to me are you?" he asked menacingly waving the sharp weapon at him.

"I-I'm not a lackey, I'm the head of security. I-I can help you if you let me go!"

"One more question before I release you, does the name Orihime mean anything to you?"

"No." he replied shaking his head "but if she's a powerful Sekirei he will set his sights on her."

Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath he knew what had to be done 'no loose ends'. He roughly grabbed the man by the chin and the back of his head. Avoiding the man's panicked eyes he jerked up and to the left breaking his neck letting the body slump into the bath tub.

* * *

"OH MY GOD!" was shrieked from behind him.

"Shit!" he caught a glimpse of the beautiful woman from earlier as she bolted from the bathroom, 'Fuck me sideways my barrier must've dropped when I lost concentration'. He took off hot on her heels, grabbing her by the arm as the entered the living room. To his relief he didn't see the young girl anywhere. He almost didn't see the kick aimed to decapitate him either, ducking he caught the still raised appendage in the crook of his arm. With the limb secured, he wrapped his arm around her waist and drove her back into the wall. Normally he would've blushed at the extremely intimate looking position, but he was in trouble. He never wanted to drag them into this 'the plan was simple get answers and throw his ass into a garganta. Nice and easy no mess. Well that's fucked now!'

"Calm down and I will explain!" He could feel her power rising she was no threat to him, but he didn't want a needless brawl. Her power was still rising in what he could only assume was preparation for an attack. He did the only logical thing he could think to do with his arms occupied, he head butted her in the middle of her forehead.

"OW! What the fuck would you do that for!? The Brunette whined

"You were going to attack me." He stated as if he were talking about the weather or something. "Will you let me explain?"

"Like hell I'm going to listen to some murderer!" she was already recovered and on the move again.

Heaving a heavy sigh 'things are so much easier just blowing shit up' feeling her power level he reasoned that he would need a bit more than Sai or Geki.

"Bakudo 30, Shitotsu Sansen." A golden triangle formed on his finger before firing three beams that slammed into Uzumes' body in three places in the shape of a perfect triangle pinning her to the wall.

"Wh-What the hell are you?" The bewildered female questioned. Warily eyeing him as his palm started to glow green, while advancing on her trapped body. She almost moaned in gratitude when his hand made contact with the throbbing goose egg forming on her forehead, it felt cold to the touch. After a few minutes the pain was completely gone along with the swelling.

"We can discuss that later, right now we need to talk about the current predicament don't ya think?"

A small nod was his reply. During the ten minutes in which he explained his side of the story, he could feel her fury rising with each uttered statement.

"…And that's why I broke his neck."

"Thank you for saving her she means a lot to me." It was a quiet whisper, but he heard the gratitude in her voice.

"All right I have to dispose of the body, while you go get your Ashikabi so we can discuss where we should go from here." The Visored directed with a nod towards the door.

Turning away from her he began to drag his feet to the bathroom, he would have never thought disposing of bodies would become a part of his life. Hearing a second set of footsteps behind him, he just kept on his path. Opening the bathroom door he cringed 'Well that's going to be burned in my mind for life.' Lifting the body out of the bathtub and settling it on his shoulder he turned to the other living occupant of the bathroom.

"You don't have to help me." He reminded her softly

She couldn't explain why she wanted to help him, but that expression of regret on his face pulled at her heartstrings. She seen the same look for a brief second when she called him a murderer. Everything he did in this bathroom was for Chiho-Chan's safety, he charged into save her with no hesitation.

"I want to help, how do you plan on getting him out of here? Even though its night time lots of people are still out."

'What the hell she's already seen my Kido' snapping his fingers a small garganta formed shocking Uzume speechless.

"It's really no problem for someone like me" he replied dumping the corpse into oblivion, before regarding his accomplice with a nervous expression.

Finally finding her voice, "You are definitely going to have to tell me what you are eventually." Turning to leave she added "Clean up in here and meet us in the living room." Throwing him a wink for good measure she made her exit.

* * *

She couldn't find the words to explain it, but for only knowing this man for under a half hour, she had to admit she trusted him. Walking out the front door and down the steps, she finally arrived in the office of the apartment complex, where she asked Chiho to wait for her. She was extremely glad she did there was no way she ever wanted her to be a witness to something like that.

Walking out of the bathroom ten minutes later after making it spotless, he met the girls who were sitting at a small table in the living room.

After giving Chiho the highly edited version, in which the bad guy went to jail, it was time to make an important decision.

"Hidaka-San it is no longer safe for you to stay in the city, I think it would be best if you and your Sekirei left."

"Uzume is not my Sekirei Kurosaki-san, I don't have any family a-and I don't have anywhere else to go." She knew what Uzume really was and she wanted to stand by her side, but in all reality she knew she wasn't going to be able to. The only problem was she was already being targeted, with no family she literally had nowhere to go.

"I can't leave Minaka would track me down and sneaking her out of town would be nearly impossible, Higa is very well connected and almost as resourceful as MBI. If she doesn't wing me he would lose interest in her as a target right?" the usually carefree woman replied.

"I don't know him, but I highly doubt it." Ichigo replied leveling them with a serious gaze from across the table. "He knows you have a weak spot for her. I've met guys like him before cold hearted and manipulative he will use that weakness."

"Then what the hell are we going to do!"

Raising a hand to calm the raging girl down the young man started, "I have a plan, but you will have to trust me."

"What's the plan?" the youngest person in the conversation nervously asked

"Hold up Kurosaki, I appreciate your help I really do, but why are you helping us?" questioned the busty brunette

"Like you, there's someone special I need to protect and she's also involved in this fucked up game." The lone male replied softly with his head down bangs shadowing his eyes. "Her name is Orihime and she is Sekirei 90, I will walk through hell to make sure she is safe."

Uzume's heart leapt in her chest at the vow made by the unique individual before her. For being spoken so quietly it seemed to hold the weight of the world, he seemed to literally be willing to walk through damnation for his loved one.

He knew he should be tracking Orihime right now, but the protector in him wouldn't turn his back when someone was in need.

"My father and two sisters live in Karakura, I know for a fact if Higa made the mistake of going there he would regret it. What I'm trying to say is, if you want Kidaka-San you can stay with them until this is all over. I already know a way to get us there without being detected." He finished his offer looking straight into the young girl's eyes.

Staring back into his warm brown orbs she couldn't detect the slightest bit of deception. She was still unsure so she let her eyes drift to the woman who had become the most important person in her life. Receiving an imperceptible nod she had her answer.

"Ok, but when are we leaving?"

"Now's good let me make a call first."

"MBI will be listening in, they monitor every call made in the city. If their doing it I'm sure Higa probably is too. A man as well connected as him there's no way he isn't also monitoring calls." the veiled Sekirei reasoned.

"Not this phone they won't." He returned walking from the room to make his call

Returning to the room a few minutes later the hybrid looked determined. Waiting twenty minutes for Chiho to pack a bag with only the necessities they were ready to go.

* * *

"All right lets go" he directed knelling down motioning for Chiho to climb on his back.

Confused the young girl asked "Go where Kurosaki-san"

To answer her question he once again snapped his fingers tearing a hole in the air. Throwing a final look at Uzume he warned "You better keep up and stay on the path I make. I can't help you if you fall off."

A determined nod was her only reply, outwardly she looked stable, but she was quite unnerved by jumping into the abyss. Carrying the backpack for her loved one, Uzume had to be on her best to keep up with Ichigo. 'He's so fast and the path he's creating is only stable about twenty steps behind him.' The energy that circulated through the in between was incredibly chaotic and the very pits screamed of nothingness. She couldn't tell how long they had been running, but she was starting to fade. Instant relief washed over her when the guide called out they were nearing the end.

Jumping out of the garganta the trio landed in the Kurosaki living room. Waiting for them was none other than the family patriarch Kurosaki Isshin along with him were the twins and Urahara bucket hat and all.

"Already running back with your tail between your legs Ichigo?" the hatted man jabbed at him.

"You know damn well why I'm here." Ichigo retorted drawing the syringe from his pocket before tossing it to the strange man.

"What's wrong with you what if that stuck me and I got infected!?" shrieked the shop keep

"Tch, you would have just had to work faster to make a cure asshole." Lazily drawled the teen before continuing "Everyone these people are Hidaka Chiho…" he started motioning to the young teen "… and Uzume" he finished by motioning to the attractive Sekirei.

"Hidaka-san, Uzume they are Kurosaki Karin, her twin sister Kurosaki Yuzu, Kurosaki Isshin aka Goat-Chin, and this eccentric bastard is Urahara Kisuke." Pointing to each member as they were introduced.

"Well I got to be on my way cures to create and what not. Oh and Ichigo the phones you requested are on the counter." The blonde haired man waived over his shoulder as he made his exit.

"We're going to bed nice to meet you guys." The black haired twin stated heading for the stairs.

"We'll talk more in the morning Hidaka-chan." The friendlier twin added

* * *

Walking over to the counter Ichigo let a genuine smile grace his face since Orihime's abduction, the cause was none other than a cell phone shaped like a hamburger. Pocketing it before he grabbed the two remaining phones turning to Chiho and Uzume giving one to each of them.

"Here, your numbers are already programmed into each other's phone. It should help you keep in contact and don't worry they can't be traced or hacked."

Staring at the orange haired man's back disbelievingly as he walked out of the room with his father, so they could have some privacy. Her heart clenched harder in her chest 'It can't be'.

"You know I don't have a problem helping people Ichigo, but I'm going to need something in return." The older Shinigami stated in his dead serious voice.

Taken aback by his Dad's serious side he was compelled to comply "Sure, what do you want?"

"After you save Orihime-Chan I want… half alien grandchildren lots of them." He finished in his usually cheery tone wiggling his eyebrows for emphasis.

Uzume and Chiho jerked from their embrace when they heard the loud crash in the other room. Curious they started walking towards the other room only to have a red face Ichigo walk by them muttering 'fucking idiot' and 'perverted bastard'

"Oi, let's go Uzume" the irritated Kurosaki ordered walking away from the pair

"What the hell is wrong with him" Uzume asked to no one in particular

"Sexual frustration" the boisterous man supplied, breaking out in laughter when his son almost walked into a wall after hearing him.

A/N: Once again thanks for all the reviews, favs, and follows. It may seem like I was straying from the story a bit, but trust me I'm not.

Hope you enjoyed the chapter.


	4. Chapter 4

Laying in her bed, that was located in a guest suite in MBI headquarters. The gentle healer couldn't believe how incredibly scary, confusing, and exciting the day had been. She started the day heading back home to Karakura, she wouldn't admit she was home sick and missed a certain scowling delinquent. Then she got a date with the man that plagued her thoughts every day, only to be kidnapped again. She had to admit the ride to the capital was quite the experience, though she would never say it out loud, she would admit to herself that she kicked those guys ass. Arriving at MBI was when things really got confusing for her. The president revealed to her that her beloved Onii-chan was a completely different person than what she always believed.

The images of her taking her first steps played over and over, each time the look of pride on Sora's face made her heart swell. Blood brother or not, it was clear by his actions that he loved her as his own flesh and blood. The young auburn haired girl mentally cheered when they finally enlightened her on the origins of the Sekirei. The quicksilver eyed adult blushed when they explained about Ashikabi and the whole winging system. Unlike most Sekirei she knew exactly who her destined Ashikabi was going to be, she couldn't help but be excited. It definitely explained all the weird feelings she would get around him.

'I was reacting to Kurosaki-Kun! So I guess I am an alien after all! I wish I could go back and tell the people in high school that made fun of me for believing in spacemen.'

More images flooded her mind, these ones were of Kurosaki-Kun. The rage that he wore openly on his face induced panic in the young adult. If there was one thing about Ichigo she was certain of, it was that when he got like that people were going to get hurt.

'It's all my fault again. Why do I always drag him down? I-I can't ever do anything right!' the tears were starting to flow again, before she clamped down on her emotions. She knew that being strong was the only option for her right now.

She was surprised when Minaka-San started to question her about Ichigo's origins. It seemed as if he wanted to know more about him than her. She smiled though when the image of a very frustrated Minaka started pulling at his hair and calling her a liar. No matter how many times he asked she always had the same reply, which was no one knew what Kurosaki-Kun was. It was the truth partially, after the war he completely became a different being neither human, Shinigami, nor hollow.

The questioning was about to get more physical, he said Karasuba would get all the answers if she didn't start talking. Flinching at the image of MBI's hound's unrestrained look of glee at the mention of hurting her came to mind. Once again it seemed that divine intervention was on her side. Just as the Black Sekirei was unsheathing her blade, a white haired lady in a lab coat burst through the door. Orihime didn't catch the whole conversation, but what she caught was that Sekirei number 10 had disappeared.

After that she was ushered to the suite and told to wait for further instructions.

Coming out of her contemplation she decided to be more proactive about her situation. Looking down at her unrestrained wrists she smiled, in the confusion they forgot to restrain her powers. Never one to waste an opportunity she promptly smashed a window with Tsubaki, before hoping on her Santen Kesshun to begin her search for her Ashikabi.

* * *

"So our dear Uzume has already been retired. I have to admit that is quite surprising this early in the game!" The eccentric man exclaimed.

Sahashi Takami just sighed as she pinched the bridge of her nose. In all honesty Minaka always got on her nerves with his over the top theatrics, but she respected the man's brilliance. Right now she wanted to strangle him though, because no matter what she said to him it seemed that he only half listened while waiting for his turn to talk again.

"Clean out your ears! I never said she was defeated I said she disappeared idiot! As in no trace of her! We sent people to the last place her energy was picked up, but there was nothing there. It seems like the owner of the apartment packed in a hurry and left taking Uzume with her." The mother of two growled out.

She could see the gears in his head spinning and the faraway look on his face, he was calculating. This is where her admiration came in, not much could surprise Minaka. He would hear the problem, calculate, and have an answer before most people could tie their shoes.

"Takami-San could you pull up the location of the attack on number 84's ashikabi please?" He asked in an unusually calm voice.

Slightly confused by the request she did as she was instructed, while trying her hardest to see whatever the crazy white haired bastard had seen.

"OK save that position on the map and bring up the apartment's location please."

Starting to get where he was going with the search she questioned "Do you think the two incidents are related?"

"Yes I do! Please run through the satellite images of the apartment after the attack and before the disappearance please."

Running through the frames at high speeds, she kept her eyes solely focused on the screen. After a few minutes she spotted number 10 and a small girl, but there was nothing else out of the ordinary. A loud exclamation of victory behind her nearly made her topple out of her seat.

"AHA I knew it! It seems that Kurosaki-San is being quite the naughty boy!"

"What are you talking about? I didn't see anyone else, the only ones there were Uzume and the kid." The confused second in command stated.

"That's not true rewind it slowly and watch the rooftops!"

Rewinding slowly she took his advice and kept a careful watch on the roofs. That's when she spotted an orange haired man, who if she had to guess was around the same age as her son. Pressing play again she witnessed the pair of females part ways at the apartment, before switching to observe the man spying on them. It happened so fast she couldn't see it, one moment he was intently watching Uzume the next he was gone. Slowing down the frames as much as they could the only thing picked up was a blur, where the anomaly once stood.

"What the hell was that Minaka!" The white haired female researcher exclaimed.

"That my dear Takami is what we call an interesting variable! To tell you the truth I have no clue what he is! I know someone that does though, please bring Orihime-Chan back please."

Standing up to retrieve number 90, she was interrupted when an alarm from the suite popped on the screen. Wasting no time she pulled up the surveillance video just as the answers to their questions jumped out the window and disappeared.

* * *

Sighing in frustration the game master commented "Well that is definitely inconvenient. No matter we can track her, we're just going to have to look in another place for answers."

"Do you want to send the discipline squad after her?" She really hoped that he didn't, the discipline squad wasn't known for being delicate with other Sekirei. The fact that they needed answers from this one made it a very bad idea to cut them loose.

"No they won't be needed, I want her in one piece after all!" the bespectacled man laughed. Bringing up a single hand with one digit raised, he had the look of a man having an epiphany. "Please look for our sweet little birdy in Karakura Town!" If he was right about this, his dream of teleporting might come true. His conclusion was that Kurosaki had somehow figured out the secret and he desperately wanted to know.

Pointing their satellites at the town in question they were met with a very confusing sight. The footage cut to a commercial for a local candy store, at the end a message appeared stating 'We at the Urahara Shoten are very sorry for your inconvenience, but it seems you are spying outside your jurisdiction. Please be assured that I will contact you between 8:30 and 10:00 A.M., probably closer to 10:00. Have a wonderful day U.K.' At the end of the message there was a little caricature of Kisuke holding up a peace sign and sporting a shit eating grin.

* * *

-Karakura Town-

The sound of geta clacking through the halls was the only sound that could be heard in the small candy store. The owner was doing his usual when he was thinking, pacing the halls. At the moment he was glad that Yoruichi was in the Soul Society, she would always kick his ass when he nosily paced during the night. The cause for his dilemma was a simple question 'Should I get involved in this or should I just let Ichigo do it'. He really had no problem with handing the reigns over to Ichigo, but like all great minds with nothing to focus on… he was extremely bored.

Yoruichi was gone, Tessai never liked getting into mischief with him, and now Ichigo was gone having some grand adventure. All he had done was make cell phones and derive a cure for a virus.

"This just won't do." The usually cheery blonde groaned out. "At least during the war I got to play puppet master and there was never ending excitement. I knew I should have put a spy camera on Ichigo."

The answer to his question and boredom came when his phone started to vibrate. Looking at the alert he instantly found a wealth of energy. The slightly perverted shop keep jumped straight in the air clicking his heels together. This had been what he was waiting for, MBI trying to nose around in Karakura. Kicking off his sandals and hanging up his hat the pale eyed man made a beeline for his bed. Chuckling to himself he set his alarm for 10:30 'Well they shouldn't mind waiting a little bit'. With a wide yawn one of the most dangerous Shinigami closed his eyes.

-Kurosaki Residence-

The young transcendent stared in disbelief as he watched his father usher a blushing Chiho out of the room. 'Who the fuck says things like that in front of company'. Letting his eyes roam to the other person in the room his mouth dropped open. The brunette wasn't blushing or looking uncomfortable, to his surprise she had a hand to her mouth trying to contain herself from outright laughing at his expense. He could see the mirth dancing in her brown orbs, to be honest he liked seeing her this way. The only side he had seen of her so far was extremely serious, which really didn't fit her in his opinion.

"Oi, what the hell is so funny?" the irritable teen questioned stuffing his hands in his pockets, leveling her with his trademark scowl.

"Nothing!" Was all she could get out as she waived her hands in front of herself, doing her best to stop her laughter. Seeing his scowl started a whole new bout of giggles for the busty Sekirei. Finally containing herself she walked over to the brooding man before reaching up to smooth the crease on his brow.

"You're too handsome to scowl, plus you'll give yourself wrinkles that way." She stated in a very soft and alluring voice.

Taken aback by her forwardness, the muscular visored had no clue on how to reply to that. He had been called handsome before by Yoruichi and a few others from the Seireitei, but he always assumed they were fucking with him. His reply died on his lips when the man child known as Isshin decided to make his entrance, just as Uzume complimented him.

"He gets that from me ya know." The bearded man stated putting on a big smile. 'Well god damn Ichigo you definitely have the Shiba charm in you. First Orihime-Chan and now this beautiful young lady.' Looking at the lost look on his sons face he sighed 'To bad he's almost as dense as Ganju when it comes to women.'

* * *

"Chiho-Chan is all settled in bed, you should think about doing the same you two." With years of practice he continued before his insanely determined son ignored him and charged off. "You won't be of any use to Orihime-chan if you're dead tired by the time you find her. I know you can go days without sleep, but that's not the point. You're going to need clothes and other supplies from your apartment. You've already got blood all over you and I can only assume what you did to that poor bastard." The older Kurosaki finished.

He hated seeing his only son going through this again. It was true that he was more mature this time around and it was also true that not many could stand up to him in terms of power and skill now. It wasn't the fighting that he hated, it was the after effects, months after the war Ichigo was still plagued with nightmares. It got so bad that he had to sleep at Urahara's after nearly suffocating his sisters with his power during an intense dream. Ichigo never spoke of it to anyone besides himself or Kisuke, even then it was only after he was woken up to tell them about the nightmare. It took time but he finally got over it 'Now here it comes again, he's already a decorated veteran at only eighteen years old.' He tossed a clean white shirt to him so he could at least change out of the blood soaked rag he was wearing.

"Kurosaki-San is right you know, MBI probably won't release her for a couple days not until they have done their tests." Catching the sharp deadly look in his eye she added. "Don't worry the tests aren't bad, I've been through them their painless."

A small grunt was her reply. Her eyes widened marginally when Chiho's protector shrugged out of his button up shirt, before throwing it to his dad to put in the wash. Her breath caught in her throat as her eyes raked over his well sculpted torso 'Not too muscular and far from scrawny… perfect.' She almost winced when she took in account some of the scars that adorned his tan skin 'What the hell have you been through Ichigo?' She was completely clueless that both males noticed her staring and the small blush that stained her cheeks.

Pulling the shirt over his head he took in the flirtatious woman's flustered appearance. Deciding it was time for a little pay back he gave her a small smile before adding.

"It's not very polite to stare ya know." He had to admit the way she acted and her reassuring words about Orihime had set his nerves slightly at ease. It was nice to know he had a couple days to formulate a plan instead of charging in blind like Hueco Mundo.

"Well it's not my fault you decided to strip in the dining room. You definitely don't have anything to be ashamed of though…very nice." She finished with a teasing wink, she laughed inwardly when a small blush appeared on his face.

* * *

'That little shit maybe he's not as clueless or gay as I thought.' On that note it was time for the small clinic doctor to go to bed.

"If you two are done flirting you can be on your way, I would like to lock the doors and go to bed."

"What are you talking about Goat-Chin? Uzume is staying here tonight."

"No can do we don't have any extra beds and I would be a bad host to make her sleep on the couch." Oh how he loved screwing over his son.

"Fine she can stay with me." He dejectedly sighed out

"Wow you don't have to be so down about my presence, I don't bite ya know." The only female in the room huffed out.

"I-It's not that I mind your presence, its fine really." 'Damn it I didn't mean to sound like a complete dick.'

"Good it's settled now get out." The hyperactive man stated pushing them out the door. When his son looked over his shoulder to glare at him, he decided to give two thumbs up and a big grin of encouragement. He was proud that he managed to hold his laughter until after the door was closed.

"Why do I feel like your Dad was plotting against us?"

"That's easy it's because he probably is. He's been doing shit like that since my freshmen year." The hybrid replied kicking a small stone as they walked through the dimly lit streets.

Looking at the man next to her she couldn't help the smile that crossed her face, being around him was so easy. The fact that she found him attractive had nothing to do with it. Her smile got bigger as she took in his spiky orange hair, firm set to his jaw, piercing brown eyes, and broad strong shoulders.

Nearing his apartment after about twenty minutes of walking is when they heard a load roar rip through the calm night air.

* * *

Turning on her heel in the direction of the roar she instinctually put herself in front of Ichigo. What she saw made a jolt of fear shoot down her spine. About fifty yards away chasing a small boy that had a chain attached to his chest, was something that she could only describe as a giant ape. It had a purplish body, with two giant front arms that it used to propel itself forward, it stood about fifteen feet tall, and it also had a very ominous mask of bone, filled with razor sharp teeth. She didn't notice the giant hole directly in the center of its chest until it stood on its hind legs to give a challenging growl. A muttered curse from behind her drew her attention, turning around she seen a blaze lite in Ichigo's eyes.

'Why the fuck did this bastard have to show up now?' he really wanted to avoid having to deal with a hollow in Uzume's presence. It would only bring up questions that he didn't want to answer. To his surprise she took up a defensive stance in front of him 'Well I can't let her do that though.' So with an uttered 'fuck' he quickly moved around her straight for the hollow summoning Tensa Zangetsu in a dead sprint. Dodging a clumsy strike from the tree trunk like arm, he quickly amputated it before delivering a vicious kick to its knee shattering the joint. With a low whine of defeat the ape like monster disappeared after being impaled through the forehead. After preforming the konso, he let his zanpakuto disperse into reiatsu, before he turned back to his companion who was completely wide eyed with a look of awe on her face. 'Double Fuck!'

Without saying a word he grabbed her hand and led her to his apartment. Letting go of her hand to fish out his keys, he glanced at her from the corner of his eye, she had her head down with an unreadable expression on her face. Opening the door and flipping on the light, the silence was unbearable. He had to break the tension, but he found himself asking a very familiar question.

"Hey are you okay?"

"What are you Ichigo? The way you move, the way you fight, you can travel through dimensional portals and you are probably the fastest person I have ever met." The confusion was dripping heavily from her words. 'The way he fights he might even be stronger than Miya and that's just insane.'

"To tell you the truth Uzume, I don't even know what I am anymore. Four years ago I would have said I was just a normal kid, but then my powers appeared. I just kept evolving getting faster, stronger, and gaining new powers." It was the partial truth he didn't want to get into too much detail about the Soul Society.

"What was that monster?"

"That was a hollow, they are fallen human souls that devour others to fill the void left by losing their hearts."

Seeing the tired expression on his face she stopped her questions, there would be time later she reasoned. Her heart was racing watching him protect her and that small child made her react hard. He was her Ashikabi, she knew it from the bottom of her heart. 'He seems so stressed though, I don't know if I should add to that.'

* * *

"You can jump in the shower first if you want." The tired man added

"No that's okay. I do need something to sleep in though."

Standing up from the couch he made his way down the hall to his bedroom, before rummaging through his dresser drawers. Pulling out a pair of black boxers and a grabbing a black and red hooded sweatshirt from his closet, he slowly made his way back to the living room. Handing her the clothes he motioned to his room for her to change while he disappeared inside the bathroom.

Standing in his room she heard the shower start accompanied by a low groan. 'Wow the walls are surprisingly thin here.' Quickly changing she decided to lounge on his bed, before several pictures caught her eye. Walking over to the dresser she picked up the first one and smiled. It was a picture of a small orange haired kid in a karate gi holding hands with a beautiful strawberry blonde haired woman, he had an enormous smile on his face. The next picture was of him, his sisters, and Isshin. She couldn't help but laugh because Ichigo was scowling at Isshin who sported an idiotic smile. The next one made her heart clench a little in jealousy in the picture were two bright haired teens in caps and gowns from graduation. Ichigo had his arm around the smaller female and both were smiling for the camera.

"That's Orihime."

Startled by the sudden voice she dropped the picture on the carpeted floor. She was relieved to see that it hadn't been broken.

"Huh?" was her intelligent reply

To her surprise he just smiled as he bent down to pick up the picture, before regarding it with a faraway look.

"The girl I am looking for, this is her. Her name is Inoue Orihime." He clarified returning the picture to its previous resting place.

Once again she felt a touch of jealousy at the warmth his voice held when speaking about Orihime. Taking in his sleeping attire she felt a small blush creeping up on her yet again. Foregoing a shirt he opted for a just a pair of flannel pajama pants. She also took note of his stiff movements 'He looks horribly stressed and exhausted.' Deciding that she needed to help him relax a thought popped into her head 'I just hope he complies.'

* * *

Surprising him by grabbing onto his wrist she pulled him towards his bed.

"Can you lay down on your stomach for me please?"

"Why?" he questioned even though his body was complying before he even realized it.

"I just want to help you relax, as a sort of a thank you for what you did for Chiho." Uzume replied, as she straddled his hips to give herself better access to his back.

"You don't have to do this."

She smiled at the almost obligatory statement, as he let a low groan pass his lips when her delicate fingers pressed firmly into a knot just below his right shoulder blade. She was amazed at his muscular back, him being the first person she had ever touched this intimately. Resting her hands at the bottom of his spine she slowly worked slow circles up the length of his back, kneading into the dense muscles as she went. Reaching the top she let her thumbs press into his thick neck, earning herself another moan of gratitude. 'Wow he is just one big ball of nerves. I'm glad I decided to do this for him.'

She let her brown eyes roam all over this new treasure below her, taking in the few scars that resided on his back. 'My Ashikabi' she thought possessively as she curled her fingers, letting her nails bite into his tan skin. Shaking away that thought process she smiled and continued to force his body into relaxation. After fifteen minutes she heard the sound of soft snoring, dismounting from his hips she moved closer to get a better look at him. 'He looks so peaceful when he sleeps' she couldn't help herself from moving the orange locks out of his face.

Without a second thought she curled up next to him on the twin sized bed. Her own eyelids were getting heavy, a content sigh passed her lips when Ichigo shifted and unconsciously pulled her into an embrace. 'This is where I belong' was the last thing number 10 thought as she drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Curious brown eyes opened to the world. It took a few minutes for him to register where he was, he remembered leaving his family's home, walking with Uzume, the hollow, and a massage. He snapped wide awake at the last one, feeling the slight weight on his left arm he glanced to the other occupant in his bed. 'Damn I must have fell asleep on her. I'm going to have thank her I haven't slept that soundly in a long time. Looking down at her brought a smile to his face. He had to admit that she was stunning, but she also looked innocent and peaceful when she snuggled closer into him for warmth. Feeling her stir he knew she was awake, but not willing to move at the moment.

"Morning" the hybrid mumbled out his voice still thick with sleep.

"Stop moving it's too early, I need about ten more hours of sleep." The brunette protested, stifling a yawn with her hand.

"It's already 8:00 and I want to leave for the capital as soon as possible."

Stretching before she turned into his embrace so that she could talk to him more directly. She wasn't prepared for him though, his eyes were still half lidded, he had a calm almost serene expression on his face, and his hair was even more messy then usual. The reaction this time was unavoidable, without her consent her body started inching in his direction.

"Ichigo"

The soft whisper made him turn his attention back to the brown eyed girl. To his complete surprise she had managed to get inches from his face. He almost wanted to protest her forwardness, but the look burning in her eyes had any complaints coming up short. Warmth, affection, and love swirled in her mahogany orbs. He was lost and for once in his life he didn't care, as he closed the distance between them, sealing their lips. He was shocked when bright white wings erupted from her back. He had seen the same scene yesterday, but winging his own Sekirei had nearly taken his breath away. He was confused though when she started chanting. "By the veil of my contract, my Ashikabi's nightmares will be dispelled."

"What was that?" the young Kurosaki asked

"That was my Norito, a pledge that we Sekirei say. I'm sorry for dragging you into this Ichigo, but I couldn't help it after I started reacting to you. The pull to our destined Ashikabi is so strong that fighting it is nearly imposible." The veil user finished with her eyes downcast.

She felt him gently raise her chin to look in his eyes. She wanted to smile at the sight, his eyes only relayed warmth, curiosity, and protectiveness.

"Don't be sorry. I never thought about being an Ashikabi, it just gives me another reason to stop this fucked up mess." To punctuate his statement he once again briefly joined their mouths before pulling away. "We can discuss that later right now I need to pack."

Packing light with only a few changes of clothes and basic toiletries, he was once again ready to resume his mission. To his surprise Uzume grabbed his bag from him before stating.

"I'm not running through there again." To get her meaning across she jumped on his back and nuzzled into the side of his neck adding "Plus you wouldn't want to lose me after you just found me would ya?" Giving him a playful kiss on the neck she was pleased when the tips of his ears turned red. 'He's going to be so much fun'

Refusing to acknowledge the teasing he snapped his fingers opening the black gateway to the capital. 'This one is going to be a handful, she's as bad as Yoruichi' sighing to himself he jumped in.

* * *

-10:30 Shinto Tower-

Patiently waiting by his computer sat a completely agitated Minaka. Not only had the mysterious man lied to him and not returned his transmission, but diving further into the past of Urahara Kisuke turned up absolutely nothing. To add to his growing ire number ten had been winged and he couldn't get a live feed to determine her newly acquired Ashikabi. He knew who the culprit could be though and that alone started his nerves humming with excitement. Deviations to the plan were always being calculated by the super genius 'and this one could bring so many wonderful changes.' A flicker on his screen drew his attention. Once again he was greeted with the cartoonish image of Urahara with the words 'one moment please' scrawled under it.

"Good morning Minaka-San." Was the cheery greeting of a man dubbed a virtual ghost.

"Yes it is it would have been a lot better a few hours ago." The white haired man returned just as cheerily.

"Ah, my apologies for making you wait certain things came up that required my attention." The fashion nightmare replied hiding a yawn behind his trademark fan.

"One of those things wouldn't happen to be the winging of a Sekirei in Karakura now would it?"

Blinking slowly the shop keep ciphered through the new information before replying. "Maybe that was what my scanners picked up?"

He had no clue he had just rolled out of bed 'Ichigo you sneaky little fucker' the blonde chuckled.

"Can you answer me why you are blocking any investigation into Karakura Town from me?" the white haired inquired, he really hated being denied access to anything.

"Aww, I thought the message was rather clear. Karakura is outside the jurisdiction of MBI, as such it's not very nice to spy on others." The geta clad man replied waving his fan at the screen.

"But when property of MBI is located in your town it is our right to look for it." The MBI president replied starting to enjoy his conversation. He couldn't explain it but he felt a certain kinship to the man in the bucket hat.

"As far as I know your property has already left a few hours ago, so I must ask that you stop trying to dig into mine and Ichigo's past. That kind of search will turn out very bad for your game should certain individuals catch wind of it." Urahara ominously warned, he had no doubts which road the Gotei 13 would take if they caught on to what was happening.

"Is that so now, you must belong to a really powerful organization then." Never one to be cowed by another he baited the mysterious individual.

"Me, no I'm just your ordinary, slightly perverted, shop keeper!" the fan wielder replied feigning surprise at the accusation.

"Hmm maybe but what about your associate he is far from ordinary wouldn't you agree?" The game keeper questioned, his excitement was growing, and he was slightly fidgeting with nervous energy. Absently he wondered if he could pull off using a fan like his intelligent counterpart.

"Ichigo is far from ordinary and unfortunately for you he has already taken an interest in being a part of this game." Once again he had to warn this man. Ichigo wasn't the model of restraint when he lost his cool.

"Oh I don't know if it's as unfortunate as you make it sound. I always enjoy when interesting new variables join the equation! Speaking of the variable would you care to enlighten me on what exactly our young Kurosaki is? He may be a lot of things but human is not one of them!" This was what he wanted to know, where that young man got such wonderful power!

"I would love to, but unfortunately Ichigo is a one of a kind and completely unique! One could go as far as calling him a transcendent being!" He was being vague, but he wanted to give the man something. It wouldn't be fun if he was completely in the dark, his standing as a fellow genius wouldn't allow it. Switching to his serious mode he continued.

"I am going to give you some fair advice Minaka-San, if you value self-preservation make sure Orihime-Chan is safe and unharmed. You are already on Ichigo's bad side and it would benefit you to give him less of a reason to kill you."

"Such a scary statement and why would her safety have such an effect on my own." He was never a man to respond to idle threats.

"Because if she is unharmed I won't gut you and hang you from the clock tower."

Slowly turning his head in belief that any quick movements might be his last. His stomach fell when he laid eyes on the man standing behind him 'Fuck Me"

A/N: Thanks for all the reviews, favs, and follows they really mean a lot to me. In response to my first anonymous flame, I'm sorry you felt that way about the story. This is fan fiction though, so an author throwing in their own twists to cannon stories is the very embodiment of this site. Enough of that, hope you enjoyed the chapter.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Still don't own any of the copyrighted material

-9:00 A.M. - (Before Urahara's and Minaka's Conversation)

Landing at the edge of the city limits with his passenger, the newly christened Ashikabi let out his senses for any immediate threats. He was a curious about a few of the clashing energies. Knowing that it wasn't Orihime involved he wrote it off as participants of the plan doing battle. Besides he had more important things to focus on, or an important someone to be more precise.

"Why did we land outside of the city? It's going to take forever to get home." The newly emerged female complained. "We should have just went back to Chiho Chan's apartment, it's a lot closer."

"Her house is probably being watched after you disappeared from there Uzume. Plus this way I won't just appear randomly out of thin air with no explanation." He was sure that his little disappearing act had at least drawn the attention of MBI, and maybe that Higa bastard as well. He needed a place to lay low so he could start his plan though.

"Hey where do you live? We need a place to discuss how we're going to retrieve Inoue from MBI." Questioned the visored.

"What the hell! you're planning a direct assault on Shinto Tower!" Squeaked his buxom companion.

"No not a direct assault, I was planning to sneak in give me some credit." He replied waving a hand dismissively. He had no doubt in his stealth abilities. After losing the ability to be sensed by anyone he was pretty decent at infiltration, extraction though needed some work. Yoruichi, true to her methods, was quite thorough when drilling him in the ways of the Onmitsukidō. 'I really should thank the Were-Cat someday. Her training has definitely paid dividends.'

"Let me guess your some kind of super ninja now." Dead panned an unbelieving veil user. She had no doubt he was strong. After all he had carried her on his back and seemed to move even faster than before, but being able to sneak through MBI's security was a bit much.

"Something like that" he shrugged. "I'm nowhere near the level of my sensei, she is the very definition of cat burglar." He chuckled at his own pun before continuing "Can you help me or not. I'll understand if you want to walk away from this, but that is not an option for me."

"I can help, not like you're leaving me much of a choice. After all we're together forever right?" she needed to clarify that last part. She knew that he knew what an Ashikabi was, but she needed to make sure he knew the meaning behind being an Ashikabi. Looking at the slightly unsure look on his face left her with a clenching pain in her chest.

"You chose me to be your Sekirei. Don't you want to be with me?" Her voice trembled slightly. The idea of her destined one not returning her feelings ached to her very core.

'Ashikabi are like a soul mate to the Sekirei. That's what Geta-Boshi said I guess I didn't comprehend the true meaning behind it.' Looking at the beautiful women before him he had to admit he got caught up in the heat of the moment. 'I may not be in love with her, but I can feel her in my heart. I will try my best to make sure she is happy.' Reaffirming his silent vow he had to get rid of the fear he could feel flowing through their bond.

"Yes I want you to be my Sekirei and yes we will always be together, I promise Uzume." He reassured pulling her into a hug. In all his wildest dreams he would never have had seen his first relationship starting this way. Feeling her latch around his waist tightly as if he would disappear, the love flowing into him drove home the depth of the bond they had created. As much as he wanted to enjoy his moment with her he had to get back on track. Gently releasing her after an affectionate kiss on the forehead he asked.

"Can we go home now?"

She could feel the beginnings of love stirring deep inside of him and she was overjoyed. Unrequited love for her kind was as bad as death. With her fear washed away she could get back to her new favorite hobby, teasing her new mate.

"In a hurry to consummate the relationship already are you? Such a naughty boy, Ichigo." She smiled walking up to him and giving a quick peck on the lips. 'I wonder how red he can actually get.' Putting a finger to her chin in thought she quickly cataloged her cos-play outfits. She knew she had to put that question to the test.

"Will you knock it off? This is serious I need a place to start planning." He replied slightly agitated. He didn't mind the affection. He actually liked this playful side to her, even though it was incredibly distracting. There was a time and place for everything though and this definitely was not one of them.

"Fine, I live in the north side of town at Maison Izumo Inn. The land lady shouldn't mind if you move in. It's going to take about an hour to get there from here, so we should start moving." The brunet stated before looking at him in confusion, as he kneeled down for her to get on his back.

"An hour is going to take too long. Just hold on tight and point me in the right direction." The transcendent directed.

"You don't have to carry me. I'm pretty fast you know."

"I know, but this will be faster." He replied knowingly

* * *

Not wanting to argue with the orange haired man she complied. She let out a squeak when the world blurred around her. Definitely underestimating the speeds they would be traveling at, she readjusted her grip to prevent falling off the human rocket. Keeping her mouth next to his ear she whispered instructions over the roar of the wind. When they were nearing the Inn she pointed to a two story traditional Japanese looking home that had a decent size yard. Dropping out of shunpo in the cover of the back yard the pair straightened themselves up after their high speed travel. Looking at her watch she was impressed the whole trip took less than eight minutes.

"Wow, when you said faster I didn't think you were that damn fast." She exclaimed fixing her side ponytail that had come undone.

He didn't reply just motioning for her to lead the way into the house. Out of habit he did a quick scan of the house. The results were shocking to him, there were three high level energies and one of those was a hell of a lot larger than any other Sekirei's he's felt. 'Hmm this could get interesting.'

"Miya I'm home" Uzume called out as she walked through the door. On queue a very attractive woman walked into the back hallway. She was a slender yet shapely woman with fair-skin and brown eyes. She had waist-length purple hair with shorter bangs in a hime-style. She wore the traditional attire of a miko that consists out of a purple hakama, a white haori with a sash-like belt, wooden sandals and a white ribbon to partially hold her hair in place.

"Staying out all night Uzume isn't like you. I hope you weren't causing trouble." The slightly older looking miko inquired with her eyes closed and a disturbingly serene smile.

"N-no Miya definitely not causing trouble! Someone needed help so I helped them. Sorry for not calling and letting you know." The nervous brunette replied. She silently cursed herself for being so rattled by Miya in front of her Ashikabi. 'It's not my fault! She is so damn scary.'

"It's okay as long as you're not in trouble, and who might this be, a boyfriend perhaps? I am Asama Miya owner of this residence." The land lady questioned as she eyed the orange haired stranger in front of her. She couldn't put her finger on it, but everything about his presence felt off. He could be seen visually, but being near him felt like being next to a void. 'He doesn't give off any energy. That shouldn't be possible, I'm going to have to keep an eye on him. As long as he isn't a danger to the residence I won't kill him.'

"Well kind of he also helped the same person last night and he's new in town and needs a place to stay so I brought him here and…" The brown eyed girl rambled before being cut off by Ichigo.

"My name is Kurosaki Ichigo and I'm her Ashikabi. I was wondering if I could rent a room here. I have a friend that was kidnaped by MBI, so I need a place to stay until I can get her back." Ichigo calmly stated. He always preferred the blunt approach to things instead of tip-toeing around like Kisuke.

"Ichigo you're not supposed to tell normal people about Sekirei and Ashikabi. It's part of the rules of the game." Uzume warned gripping his forearm. She was trying to keep Miya's identity as number 1 a secret.

"It's not like I knew that and she is far from normal from what I can tell." He replied evenly

"Oh, and what do you mean by far from normal Kurosaki-San? I am sorry to hear about your friend though, but I don't know if we can help you." Miya stated regarding the man with a critical eye. Her suspicions of him had definitely peeked, not many knew of her identity. For this stranger to have correctly guessed she wasn't human meant that someone had given him prior knowledge. 'If he is working for MBI he won't leave here alive.'

"I can feel your power even though you are actively trying to suppress it. Before you ask I don't work for MBI and yes I am far from normal myself." The former human replied stuffing his hands in his pockets.

He had seen the deadly glint in her eye after his comment and the slight shift in her stance readying to attack at the wrong answer. Sighing he continued "I'm just trying to find someone special to me. If you can help me out by letting me rent a room great, if not I'll be on my way."

* * *

Taking the silence as his answer he turned to leave after giving his Sekirei a kiss on the cheek. He was contemplating his next move. He was disappointed, with her level of power he knew that the purple haired woman could have given him some decent information. He stopped when an unfamiliar hand gripped his wrist. Turning his head he was caught in the serious gaze of the land lady.

"You can stay as long as you don't bring trouble to my home and eventually I want you to come clean with me about what you are. I can't put my finger on it but your presence is very disturbing." With her statement made she let go of his wrist. Initially she was inclined to just let him walk out the door and wipe her hands of him. It was the look in Uzume's eyes though that gave her pause, it was sadness. For everything she did to help Matsu escape MBI Miya wouldn't turn her back on her. Even if it meant taking in a person that she couldn't completely trust.

"Thank you I really appreciate it, as for bringing trouble to your home it won't happen." 'Hopefully' he added as an afterthought.

"Rent is 50,000 Yen per month and I don't except payment from MBI cards. The only rules are no fighting and absolutely no illicit acts. There are two other Sekirei living here with Uzume and myself." She decided mentioning Matsu wouldn't be a big deal, if he could feel her then there was no way that he missed the others in the home.

For her part Uzume was shocked that Miya would be so forward with information about the red headed Sekirei. The tension in the air was also making her really uncomfortable. Fidgeting with the hem of her shirt she stole a glance at her Ashikabi, seeing him completely relaxed made her question his sanity. 'How can he be so calm, the look in Miya's eyes is enough to make me want to piss myself.'

"Sounds good and I don't have a MBI card. Can I ask you about Hiroto Minaka I have some unfinished business with him and unfortunately I don't know how to contact him."

Slightly bristling at the man's blunt attitude she sent him a stern glare. "I'm pretty sure I just said not to bring trouble here and going out of your way to provoke him will do just that." In all honesty she hated the man for his actions concerning the Sekirei and her late husband, but to help a stranger provoke him wasn't in her plans.

"I just want to discuss the whereabouts of my friend and if it turns into trouble I won't come back." He reassured holding up his hands defensively. He was sure he could win a fight against her, but with her level of power he was sure the damage would be enormous. "I'm not here to cause you trouble or harm, I just need to know how to find him."

Inwardly scoffing at the idea of him being able to harm her, she relented and offered some assistance. "Uzume can you take him to go see Matsu, I'm sure she can be of assistance." Turning on her heal she headed for the back yard to practice, needing to burn off some energy after her conversation with the mysterious man.

* * *

"Come on Ichigo, Matsu can help you." Uzume stated grabbing his hand and pulling him after her.

With one last glance behind him he complied following after his girl. He knew he wasn't trusted by the older woman and he really couldn't say that he blamed her. As first impressions went he had to admit that one was shit. 'I can earn her trust later. Right now I need to concentrate.' He was confused when Uzume knocked on a random wall, but quickly realized the third essence was coming from behind the faux wall.

Sitting in her hidden room Matsu was completely fascinated with conversation going on downstairs, as she monitored its progress through her security cameras. She had to admit that Uzume picked a rather attractive man to be her mate 'I wonder if she will let me experiment with him'. When he popped up as unreadable in her scanners though she became skeptical of the newbie. Her jaw nearly hit the floor when Miya announced her presence at Izumo Inn and nearly fainted when her assistance was offered up so freely. She squeaked when there was a knock at her door, getting ready to take flight at a moment's notice.

Walking in the hidden room Ichigo found himself rather impressed with the set up. Not only was she hidden from prying eyes, but from the looks of all the computer consoles she kept watch over everything in the city. Bringing his gaze to the occupant of the hidden room his earlier assumption was further confirmed 'Yep another beautiful female' the female in question had long red hair with side plaits she was wearing a white dress with detached sleeves that resembled a cheongsam and glasses. He also noticed that she was rather well developed like the other sekirei he had met.

"You must be Matsu, did you hear our conversation from downstairs?" he questioned. Receiving a nod in confirmation he continued "Good, do you think you can help me?"

"Probably, but I'm still unclear of what you want. Do you want me to open up a communication link with Minaka-San, because that I refuse to do?" she replied pushing her glasses up on her nose. She was on the run and there was no way she would expose her location for a stranger, even for Uzume's sake. Staring at the pair she noted what an odd couple they made 'Uzume is usually so care free and he seems to radiate no non-sense and death!'

Waving off her assumption he returned, "That's not what I want, I need to know his exact location. Going through every floor of Shinto Tower would be problematic and I prefer to ask my questions face to face."

Against her best efforts Uzume shivered at his last statement. An image of the last time she seen him question someone streaked her mind. 'Could he really be planning to do that? It would stop the plan though and that bastard deserves to be punished.' She smiled, the confidence of Ichigo was intoxicating to be near. Waving her hand to break the gaze of her longtime friend she asked.

"Is that something you can do Matsu it would be really helpful."

"I can try, if he is logged into a computer I can give the floor he is on. How are you planning to get in? MBI's security is top-notch. I can offer support by disabling their cameras and satellites for a short period of time." The red head offered, since it wouldn't compromise her she would help. Plus if he wanted to go on a suicide mission she would do everything to make sure her friends' destined one was safe.

"That won't be necessary, a location will be more than enough." The orange hair answered with a smile. He was extremely grateful for her assistance 'Looks like Uzume has some great friends. Even though Miya was cold I'm sure it was only out of concern for her.' He was reminded of his own network of misfits and the lengths they would go to insure each other's safety.

"Okay let me see what I can do." The tech wizard replied skeptically. She was unsure of this man, but he had confidence and more importantly Uzume had confidence in him. Moving her hands over her keyboard at lightning speeds she found her target. "He is logged into his personal computer on the top floor. Getting to him is going to be incredibly difficult Kurosaki-San."

* * *

Smiling to himself he knew his plan 'Time to go air borne. The speeds and heights I'll be going at should make it impossible to be seen by regular people.' Catching the expectant looks on his co-conspirators faces he answered them.

"That won't be an issue, I have my own methods of getting in. Him being on the top floor is actually an advantage to me. Thank you for the help Matsu, I really appreciate it."

Giving her a small smile he turned to leave, only to have the brunet start following his lead.

"What are you doing?" he couldn't help the confusion leaking into his words.

"It's obvious isn't it? I'm going to help you, remember if you die I die and I can't let that happen." She easily returned, there was no way he was doing this alone.

"You have helped me more than enough and I promise to be careful. Besides I'm only going to talk to him." The visored returned trying his best to use a reassuring voice.

"Uh-huh I know how you just 'talk' to people Ichigo." The buxom woman retorted using air quotes with her fingers to emphasize her disbelief.

"Fair enough, but I want you and Matsu to try and track me. I need to know how well their satellites can find me. I am assuming you're piggy backing off their network for your own surveillance." The young man stated leveling his new acquaintance with a stern gaze.

"Yes I am. I personally look forward to the challenge, no one has ever been able to escape my watchful eye." The red head answered back challengingly. This would be a great test of her skills.

"But that's no…" Uzume began to protest but was cut off.

"I know you want to help, but please listen to me on this one." He interjected giving her his best scowl to dissuade any more protests.

"O-okay just please be safe."

"I will be hopefully this won't take too long."

Giving her a quick hug and kiss on the forehead he left. Walking through the halls he contemplated the closeness of himself and Uzume. 'Being around her just feels incredibly natural, almost like I've known her my whole life.' So caught up in thought he was unaware when he almost collided with Miya, who was coming through the backdoor just as he was going out.

"Shit sorry Asama-San, I wasn't paying attention." The transcendent quickly apologized for almost trampling the woman in front of him.

"It's okay Kurosaki-San, did you find the answers you were looking for." Her curiosity was getting the best of her.

"Yeah, I got to go, thanks for everything." He hurriedly replied

"No problem I'll see you when you get back then." The most powerful Sekirei stated as she watched him leave. She walked back outside out of curiosity, which was well founded when her new tenant jumped straight in the air and disappeared. She was going to need answers there was no doubt about that and Uzume was the closest source.

Back in the hidden room Matsu nearly keeled over when her target disappeared. She began a frantic search for him following his most likely path to Shinto Tower, only to be completely blanked. Turning to her friend who also wore an expression of shock.

"What the hell was that Uzume!? What is he? Who is he? How can he do that?" the red head fired off in rapid succession waving her arms frantically.

"That's what I would also like to know."

Both turning their heads mechanically to the door, they were meet with a very cold gaze from Miya, instantly making them back away.

* * *

Soaring through the air over the capital the spikey haired teen felt the thrill of complete freedom. When he was younger he dreamed of flying through the air like a bird, the wind ruffling his orange locks swayed him to close his eyes in a brief moment of serenity. He knew he was being rash and impulsive with his actions. The nagging in his gut told him to get answers as soon as possible, so he refused to wait and plan any further. Keeping at a high altitude meant that he had to watch for MBI helicopters that buzzed the skies. He knew they could be evaded, but being spotted would throw a wrench in his plans.

Resting his sights on his target he pumped more reiatsu through his legs quickening his pace. Landing in an alcove that was out of immediate sightlines from the doors under the clock, he calmed himself and relaxed. Charging in blind was always a horrible idea, so he let out his sense like a radar. Leaking a minuscule amount of reiatsu he received a mental picture of the floor he was on, as his essence traced all around the area. The results showing only one person on the floor he crept towards the door to get a visual confirmation. The man he spotted instantly made his blood boil, no doubt this man was his target. Everything about him matched the profile Kisuke had put together for him, the white ridiculous hair style, exclusively white clothes, and if the animated way he was waving his hands at the computer was an indication the eccentric behavior as well.

Smirking when he seen the doors propped open to allow the fresh air to circulate through the office, he slipped in like a shadow. Planning on just grabbing him and dangling him over the edge of the building was his choice to extract information, secretly he wanted to do it after watching some old mobster movies. Softly padding along the floor of the impeccably designed office was when a disturbingly familiar voice reverberated in his ears. 'I knew Geta-Boshi wouldn't sit still for long' he smirked even if he could be very elusive at times, to his close friends Kisuke was sometimes painfully predictable. With the Sekirei Plan surfacing there was no doubt the inquisitive fan wielder would get involved. He silently scoffed at the man's boldness when he shrugged off the subtle warnings Urahara issued. Once the conversation moved in Inoue's direction he decided to make his presence known.

"Such a scary statement and why would her safety have such an effect on my own." He was never a man to respond to idle threats.

"Because if she is unharmed I won't gut you and hang you from the clock tower." The angered Ashikabi replied, this man's arrogance wore at his already frayed nerves. Apart of him was howling with delight at the fear shining through his prey's eyes. His original plan went out the window and he decided to go with his time tested methods.

* * *

"Bakudo 9, Geki" the former shinigami chanted locking his target in place from escaping before advancing on him. "This is going to be very unpleasant and you're going to tell me everything I want to know." He started as he picked up a letter opener from the desk.

Recognizing the beginning of his student's interrogation strategy from stories, Kisuke was impressed with the terrifying visage the young man presented. 'Hell I might even shit myself if I was on the other side of that!' He had to stop this though much to his disappointment, he never seen Ichigo personally interrogate, but the stories from Yoruichi made him sound like a natural.

"Ichigo-Kun I don't think the torture will be necessary, I'm quite sure he will answer of his own accord. Am I right Minaka-San?" the hatted man sing-songed hiding behind his fan. Inside his heart swelled with pride at the speed that his former pupil acquired information and neutralized his objective.

"Y-yes there is no need to do anything drastic." The fearful man pleaded 'Maybe I underestimated him too much.' He couldn't believe the years of work put in making this fortress for it to fall in less than a day. "What can I do for you Kurosaki-San?"

Punching him in the mouth for feigning ignorance, he tried to burn a hole through the man's soul with his stare. The punched sated some of his anger so he repeated the treatment to the man's solar plexus, sending the recipient into a coughing fit.

"I'm not in the mood for games and Geta-Boshi has already informed you of my objective. So quit fucking with me and bring Orihime in here now!" to emphasize his point he slammed the eccentric presidents head on the desk. Roughly placing a phone to the captive's ear his hand loomed over the buttons waiting for directions.

"Call someone to bring her up here!"

Inwardly he winced at the man's demands. 'He's going to kill me when I say that she isn't here anymore, it will be worse if he finds out about the message!' Never in his life had he been treated like this, even growing up he had been able to talk his way out of any situation. At this moment he realized how serious the other genius was being when he mentioned unfortunately drawing Ichigo's attention.

"I-I can't she's not here anymore." The super genius groaned out already feeling the swelling settling in along his bleeding lips.

"My my that is very bad news for you Minaka-San, you seem to have lost an important trump card." The shop keep stated in a flat voice with clear pity laced in. In his opinion if this man was going to make it through this, Minaka needed to come up with something before Ichigo killed him.

"How the fuck did you…" He was cut off from his questioning when his phone vibrated in his pocket.

"I'm in the middle of something Uzume what is it?" The enraged teen barked out.

"Jeez don't bite my head off, I just wanted to tell you Matsu found a message sent out to every Ashikabi by MBI. The message describes a beautiful Sekirei with a unique healing ability. It also lists her name and number as number 90 Orihime! Ichigo that bastard has just made her the target of every Ashikabi in the city! A healing ability in this game will be incredibly valuable, everyone will gun for her now! What are you going to do with Minaka?"

"I'll show you point your camera towards the clock tower." His voice was stable, but the slight shake in his hand gave away his internal rage.

"Who was that Ichigo-Kun? The attractive young lady you were with yesterday?" he knew the look on the young man's face, he had lost his cool.

"Yes, and she informed me of a very troubling message being sent around." His usually warm chocolate eyes where now ice cold, the man in his spell was enjoying the rest of his short life.

"Oh and what would that be?" Urahara inquired absently fanning himself.

"This dumb bastard made Orihime the target of every Ashikabi by revealing her healing abilities!" to further prove his rage he kicked the man in the stomach with enough force to send him careening into a wall.

* * *

That one statement instantly pissed off the usually cheerful shop owner. He would never admit it but he regarded the group of teens as his very own kids. Someone making his little girl a target was highly unacceptable. Giving Ichigo the green light to kill was never high on his priorities list, but this man no matter how interesting deserved his fate.

"Throw him off the roof Ichigo and then get your ass in gear to find Orihime-Chan."

"My pleasure." Was the young man's response as he dragged the bloody man by his foot to the terrace, before dropping him he asked, "Any last words you piece of shit?"

Thinking was hard for Minaka at this point, that impact with the wall left him woozy. He wasn't known as brilliant for nothing though.

"If I die before the plan ends all the Sekirei will self-terminate! It was a fail-safe to guarantee I see the end of the game!" The usually energetic man lied smoothly. "I can also tell you what part of the city she is in."

"You're lying about the Sekirei terminating aren't you?" the scowling teen demanded.

"Maybe I am, but do you really want to risk it. Give me your phone number and I will text you the information after you leave."

Throwing the man back onto the ground he gave him the number and a final warning.

"You have sixty seconds after I leave to send the message. If I don't receive it falling to your death will be the least of your worries." Not waiting for a reply he jumped off the roof to begin his search.

Limping back into his office the beaten man was surprised to see Urahara still on the link.

"That was very quick thinking Minaka-San, but if Orihime-Chan is forcefully winged I will rip out your heart. I would rather lose her than have her face a life of servitude. By the way you have forty seconds left don't waste it." With his piece said Kisuke cut the connection, he had to find a way to break the bond between Sekirei and Ashikabi in case the worst happened.

* * *

-Izumo Inn-

After waking up and looking for his housemates, Kagari was surprised to find all three of them in Matsu's room staring at the computer screen. Even further peeking his curiosity was that no one turned to greet him as he entered. Compelled to find the source of their transfixion he peered over Uzume's and Miya's shoulders to get a look. His mouth nearly fell through the floor at the sight of an Orange haired man dangling Hiroto Minaka off of Shinto Tower, even more surprising were the bruises and blood that decorated the usually untouchable man's face.

"W-What the fuck is going on!"

A/N: Hell yeah hit the century mark in Favs and follows you guys kick ass, now if I could get the reviews up there I would have a hat trick. I know shameless plea is shameless lol. Anyway hope you enjoyed the chapter.


	6. Chapter 6

-Shinto Tower-

Slumping back into his seat after sending the text message to the terrifying new Ashikabi, the glasses wearing man let out a painful groan. Going by just feeling he guessed he had a few cracked ribs and at least a concussion. He let a smirk cross his bloody maw, the new anomaly was definitely more than meets the eye. He had a new mission at the moment, he had to find a way to convince Kurosaki to join the game and play by the rules. Even though their conversation ended on bad terms he needed the hatted man's help.

"Re-kidnapping Orihime-Chan is definitely out of the question." He mused aloud, a slight shiver raced down his spine at the very idea of the orange haired man coming back for her. "No that is not an option at all, but if I could find her before he does and turn her over as an offer of truce than maybe. I really need to know what drives him though. Is it love? Loyalty? The drive to ruin others plans?"

"He's a protector like his name sake suggests." Came the smooth voice of Karasuba. She couldn't remember why she came up to this annoying man's office, but taking in his appearance she was glad that she had. She silently kicked herself for not coming up here earlier though 'Looks like I missed a hell of a party!'

"I am assuming you're talking about Orihime's friend right?" the gray eyed woman inquired.

"Heh heh yes I am. He seems to be quite agitated with me at the moment as you can see. So you're guessing he is a protector because of his name? I guess that fits better than it meaning strawberry like I guessed!" he exclaimed only to double over in pain. Regaining his composure he continued "What do you think he wants to protect though. I know Orihime is one of them, but he was being quite protective when he broke that other Ashikabi's back. He treated that forcefully winged Sekirei with sympathy and carried out a punishment on her behalf. Also the young resident of the apartment number 10 disappeared from has also gone missing. I doubt he would have harmed a young child, my guess is he moved her to Karakura to keep her out of this game."

Even though he was wobbling back and forth in his seat, she had to admit he was making decent sense. She only made her assumption off of his name and the fact that he rushed to the capital in hot pursuit of the young Sekirei. If he was the type of person that wanted to protect all the weak insignificant beings in this world she could definitely make an enemy out of this man.

"So you're saying he wants to protect all these worthless worms crawling around this planet." The disgusted hound spat out. The very idea leaving a bad taste in her mouth.

"Maybe, it certainly fits his behavior since he's been here." Stopping to spit some blood in a trash can he continued. "I need you and your team to track down number 90 and for the love of all things holy don't harm her!"

"We can do that. One question though how the hell did he get his hands on you without setting off an alarm!?" the grey haired woman demanded. She was at a loss on how this newbie just waltzed in and manhandled the president.

"He is incredibly well trained in infiltration missions would be my guess. I don't know his accomplices, but I have a feeling the man I talked to on the computer set me up. He kept me in a stagnant location at an exact time making me a sitting duck for his violent hound." The game master incorrectly concluded. Looking at the gleam in other woman's eyes he knew she would seek him out for a fight.

"You may want to be carful around him Karasuba he is definitely not to be underestimated." The eccentric man warned.

"Tch, some monkey could never hope to be my equal. I will track down Orihime and send Takami up with some medical help for you." She stated as she turned to leave sharply making her gray haori flutter behind in her wake.

* * *

"Thanks." He replied as he started to type a new message to the Ashikabi. "Hopefully I can stop them before she gets winged. Can't have my heart being ripped out after all, going to need it when my dear Takami finally lets me join the family!"

"I told you moron that is never going to happen! Wow what happened to you! I just passed Karasuba on my way here she said you were a little banged up, but I didn't expect this!" The white haired woman was flabbergasted. Minaka never has had his ass kicked in his life, so seeing him like this was quite the shock for the lead researcher. Even though he was disoriented he seemed to be taking it well, he didn't even seem overly angry about it. 'That's going to change though. If he gets the upper hand he can be very spiteful.'

"Aggressive negotiations about the return of Orihime to her protectors care." He replied putting up a strong front around the only woman he had been capable of loving.

Making a small noise in acknowledgement the mother of two made her way to one of the consoles against the wall. Pulling up the security footage she inwardly chuckled 'Aggressive negotiations my ass he pretty much got shit stomped while he cowered in fear.' Watching the interesting teen drag Minaka to the edge and dangle him over made her eyes widen considerably. She knew that Kurosaki Ichigo was dangerous, but he was fully intending to kill without a moment of hesitation. Rewinding the footage she confirmed what she had seen previously, after he received the phone call his whole demeanor changed.

"You wouldn't happen to know what that phone call was about would you?"

"Oh that, well someone informed my young guest about a certain message that I may have sent out." He replied starting to feel a little bit better. He knew it was only momentary though, if there was one thing Takami hated it was when he made the little birds targets for the Ashikabi.

"What exactly was in that message Minaka? You wouldn't have been stupid enough to make her a target with a very dangerous and unknown being looking for her would you?" she asked with a sickeningly sweet voice as she slowly closed the distance between them.

"Eh heh heh maybe." Seeing her advance on him he raised his hands in defense. "Takami dear I'm already injured, please I think I'm in need of serious medical attention!"

"You are the dumbest smart person I have ever met! You deserved the beating that young man gave you! I should make you walk all the way to the fortieth floor on your own!" She screamed as she cracked him over the head. "And don't call me dear!"

* * *

-Discipline Squad-

"I am so damn bored when are we going to do something? All we have done since joining the discipline squad is hang out and train. Aren't you bored Haihane?" A young pink haired girl complained out loud. Waiting a few seconds for an answer she glanced over to her partner in curiosity, only to grow agitated when she was ignored in favor of a television show.

"What the hell is your problem I'm talking to you?!" the pinkette roared

"Yes I know, you're always talking. So most the time I tune you out during my shows." The slender gray haired female returned while chuckling. She actually enjoyed Benitsubasa's company, teasing her and getting on her nerves provided endless sources of entertainment.

"With that mouth of yours and flat chest we're never going to get an Ashikabi, you know that right?" the taller female prodded. The sudden look of insult and rage crossing her friends face was all it took for a smile to appear on the emo looking sekirei's face.

"You bitch!" The young hand to hand fighter roared as she charged her teammate. She knew Haihane was just fucking with her, but fighting with her was a great way to train and pass time.

* * *

Walking into the shared living quarters the team leader just sighed at the destruction her underlings were creating. Long having become accustomed to their constant bickering and brawls the black sekirei just took a seat and observed. She had to admit the short time they have been members of the squad their battle prowess had increased immensely. She knew that she should be putting an end to the feud, but it was fairly entertaining watching the blue sekirei dodge the red's attacks while taunting her the entire time. After having to dodge a thrown table was when she decided it was enough and time to get back on track.

"All right you two we have a mission to go on, so knock it off." The older woman instructed in a commanding tone.

"Kara-sama what's the mission? Are we finally going to be able to kick some ass?!" the excited 105th questioned. This was just the thing she needed at the moment, a mission where she could shed some blood.

"Maybe, but this is a retrieval mission and our target is not to be harmed unfortunately. We are going after the one that escaped last night."

"Why the hell would we waste time with that? She needs to find an Ashikabi anyway and it would be easier out there than in here." The Blue Sekirei decided to add to the conversation.

"Oh that's right you two haven't heard have you? Apparently this morning a very strong individual broke into that dumbass Minaka's office and nearly killed him for taking her." Karasuba informed them the excitement in her voice was palpable. She was tingling with anticipation to meet the man responsible for the brutal attacks.

"No way! How the hell is that possible?!" the other two screamed in unison. For an enemy to sneak into Shinto Tower was unheard of. Even though Minaka's welfare was the least of their concerns, someone walking into their home and tearing shit up slightly wounded their pride.

"I'm not sure how he managed it, but I definitely want to see it!" the leader stated walking over to a computer table that thankfully was left untouched in the brawl. Pulling up the footage the three could only stare in shock and slight admiration of the orange haired man's prowess. Watching him hang the white haired weirdo over the edge brought small smiles to their faces.

"Fufufufu he is something all right I wonder if he would be our Ashikabi. We would be even more feared with him on our side." The claw user laughed. While she may have said it jokingly she would admit that the idea didn't bug her in the least. 'He's quite attractive and very brutal.'

"What the hell are you talking about? There is no way I'm letting that orange haired monkey be my Ashikabi!" the petite puncher shouted.

"I agree with Benitsubasa I want to fight him not work with him. Anyway let's go we have to find her before Kurosaki or anyone else does. We have an advantage of being able to track her so let's move." With her piece said the older woman turned and made her exit with her subordinates in tow.

* * *

-With Ichigo-

He was cursing the stupid bastard he left at the tower. He had half a mind to go back and kick the shit out of him some more. The directions he received couldn't be any vaguer all they stated was that she was in the south east side of the capital. "That's a whole lot of area to cover. I'm going to need some help." He sighed out stopping on top an abandoned warehouse to make his call.

"Ichigo what the hell happened to just talking to him!?" the transcendent's first sekirei demanded.

"He was being an asshole, but we can talk about that later I need your help finding Inoue in the south east part of the city."

"Are you sure that's where she is?"

"Yeah, but that's all I have to go on."

"That's not good Ichigo, that areas right between two powerful Ashikabi and both will force her to join them if they can!"

"Fuck, please hurry up then I'm going to need your help, you know this city a lot better then me!"

"On my way sweetheart don't worry we'll find her first."

"Thanks Uzume"

Hanging up his phone he pushed himself faster in the direction he felt the closest energies. Ending his shunpo close enough to eavesdrop, but not be seen he monitored the people before him. It was a young brown haired teen, around fifteen he guessed, clutching his throat while trying to scream at a girl holding a scythe. Catching a little bit about letting an important asset get away he inwardly chuckled 'Even though she looks bright eyed and innocent, Inoue can be quite clever and elusive when she needs to be.' Even though he didn't know for sure, he had no doubts Orihime was the reason for the man clutching his throat. 'Tatsuki definitely taught her not to take shit from anyone that's for sure.' Deciding that he had a couple questions he needed answered he revealed himself to the couple.

"Oi, you two would have happened to see a bright haired girl with beautiful grey eyes around here have you?" Ichigo asked while walking towards them with his hands in his pockets looking as casual as he could.

"That's none of your damn business." The female replied taking a stance in front of the young man.

"Calm down Yomi, but she is right you know I have already called dibs on that sekirei." The brown haired teen drawled out.

"Huh, I didn't know calling dibs was part of the game. My understanding was first come first served." The visored replied casually. He wanted nothing more than to beat this little bastard to a pulp, but he could feel other sekirei hiding out of sight. He knew they were probably with the brat and a fight would slow him down.

"It's not but I was just giving you a fair warning so you don't unintentionally cross me…"

"Kurosaki Ichigo, and you are"

"Mikogami Hayato, as I was saying Kurosaki-San that sekirei is mine and I would advise you to stay out of my way."

"Sorry Mikogami-San but if I find her first I'm claiming her, so I'll see ya around." With a wave over his shoulder he began his search. 'Damn it I wish I could wring his scrawny neck right now'

"Should I cut him down for you Mikogami-Sama?" the scythe wielder inquired.

"No, attacking ashikabi is against the rules and breaking the rules is unacceptable Yomi. Besides he is heading in the wrong direction anyway." The wealthy young man reaffirmed while fixing his collar. "We are pulling back anyway Minaka sent a message to stop pursuit of her and please don't disappoint me again."

"Of course Mikogami-Sama I will not fail you again."

Waiting until he was in the cover of an alley way he jumped back to the rooftops to continue his search. 'Well at least I know she can handle herself, but Uzume was right these bastards have no morals. Next time she may not be so lucky. DAMN IT WHERE ARE YOU!' He was losing patience and his run in with that spoiled brat didn't give him any leads.

* * *

-With Orihime-

She was tired and dirty having slept in a park the night before. 'I really wish I had my purse on me, I can't remember anyone's phone number this is the exact reason I wrote them all down.' Abandoning riding on her golden shield to blend in she began her search for Ichigo. Right now wasn't the first time she hated the fact that he couldn't be sensed anymore. Before the war she would reach out her senses and take comfort in his heavy reiatsu that hung over Karakura like a blanket. It always gave off a feeling of security and when he was near it seemed to wrap around her in a protective cocoon. Not only did she have to sleep on the ground, but men had been chasing her all morning. She may be very naïve at times, but she was far from stupid. Their intentions were clear as day to her, they wanted to claim her as their own and she would be damned if she let anyone but Ichigo have that honor. So she fought off the advances of other Sekirei trying to subdue her. She didn't defeat any of them, but she always made an opening for herself to escape.

The first one to attack her was a girl around her age with brown hair and eyes, wearing a black gown with matching gloves and stockings. She also had a red ribbon tied around her neck and wielded a scythe. 'Yomi is what she said her name was and she also stated that her master was someone named Hayato Mikogami. He must have been that scrawny teenager that tried to kiss me before I got away.' She recounted absolutely disgusted with his actions. He explained that this was only a game to him and that she would be a very important piece in winning it. 'I'm not some damn toy, I don't even feel bad for chopping him in the throat.'

Her self-defense training with Tatsuki had definitely paid off, the spoiled brat didn't even see it coming. One second he was about to add another member to his collection and the next he was on the ground gasping for air watching his trophy fly away on a shield.

* * *

Taking off through a park to try and use it as some cover from her pursuers she instantly stopped when a voice called out behind her.

"You should really stop running around like this. Higa-sama has ordered me to bring you to him and I rather not be punished for accidentally killing you!" Warned a short black haired woman. "I am number 18 Ichiya and I will kill you if you make me."

Quickly turning to get a better look at the person trying to capture her is when Orihime took in her next opponent's appearance. She was wearing a purple, yellow, and black outfit that wrapped around her and held together by a small metal ring right below her breast. Portions of her midriff, her sides, her arms, even the outer portions of her thighs were exposed, while the rest was checkered back and forth with purple and yellow. She had long black thigh high boots and short black gloves. Her hair was less than an inch long, framing her skull closely.

"I am number 90 Orihime and I refuse to be winged by someone who is not my true Ashikabi!" the defiant auburn haired girl declared. 'I don't see a weapon maybe she is a close range fighter. I got to be careful though that Yomi girl could create a wind like attack by swinging her scythe.' Keeping a constant visual trying to detect any hints at which way her opponent would move the young adult waited.

"As you wish I just hope you don't die by accident!" the spikey haired woman sneered as she charged her opponent before leaping in the air bringing down her leg in an axe kick.

No longer needing an incantation to summon her powers the busty teen placed her shield directly over her. She almost squeaked in surprise when it cracked. Watching the cracks spread she knew it wouldn't hold much longer so she rolled to the side to avoid the attack.

"Well that was an impressive technique, but being un-emerged leaves you vulnerable to someone like me. Your strength is nowhere near its potential yet, so just give up."

Deciding not to banter she fired of her Koten Zanshun scoring a glancing hit as the older woman jumped in the air. Even though it wasn't a direct hit it left a nasty gash in her leg, infuriating the other sekirei. Right now she was thrilled that she agreed to all the hand to hand combat training, the older woman was leaving her in constant defense mode. Seeing an opening she delivered a swift palm strike stunning her opponent slightly. After the successful hit her confidence was on the rise she high kicked at her foe, only to have her foot grabbed. Using her leg as leverage the older woman flung Inoue over her shoulder slamming her into the ground.

Wincing when she landed, she barely had enough time to evade before a foot slammed into where she previously occupied cratering the ground. Back on her feet she was once again ducking and weaving through the seemingly endless onslaught. Receiving a nasty kick to the side sent her rolling into a tree. Running out of steam she could clearly tell she was out matched. 'I can't give up' with the last of her strength she tried to tackle her attacker to the ground. Sprawling on her stomach in the grass after a nasty elbow between her shoulder blades when her opponent blocked her last ditch effort, is when the cold reality started to set in. 'I wasn't good enough' she didn't even have the energy to resist when she was hoisted over the victors shoulder and they began to leave the park.

"Well you sure are a feisty one aren't you Orihime." A familiar voice cut through the air stopping the victorious woman from leaving with her prize.

Cracking an eye open to see her savior she was shocked to see that it was none other Karasuba and two others that she didn't recognize.

"Karasuba-Chan what are you doing here?" the dazed teen asked

"Hahaha why else would I be here, to make sure you don't get in trouble. I can see that I'm a little late though, but no matter you put her down and I might let you walk out of here in one piece." The hound commanded as she dropped her hand to the hilt of her sword.

"The discipline squad why are you interfering? I won fair and square she belongs to Higa-sama now." The terrified 18th questioned. Taking on a weakling was one thing, but taking on the whole discipline squad was another.

"Apparently you didn't get the message about not touching that particular sekirei. If you want to persist you can be my next victim, it doesn't matter to me either way. Right Kara-Sama?" the aggressive pink haired puncher stated.

"Hey Benitsubasa why do you get to have the fun? If I knew you were going to act like this I would've stayed home and watched my shows." The blue sekirei complained pointing an accusatory claw at her teammate.

"Don't be a baby we can work together if you want." The accused returned with a predatory smile.

Breaking up their argument was another sekirei who landed beside the discipline squad's next victim. She was a tall woman with long dark green hair and blue eyes. She was wearing a blue and white tight belly-top, revealing quite a bit of cleavage, which displayed the Sekirei Crest on her left breast. Dark long gloves, stockings held by a garter over her bloomers and thigh length boots.

"Toyotama what the hell is going on here!?" The bewildered spikey haired woman shrieked.

"Let her go Ichiya, we don't want a fight with them besides Higa-Sama received a message to quit pursuing this one." The blue eyed woman calmly stated.

After dropping her prize unceremoniously to the ground she took off in a dead run with her sister sekirei. There wasn't going to be another fight, especially not with them if she could help it. Pride be damned it was too early in the game for her to be taken out in her opinion.

Blue and Red were all set to give chase, both looking like lionesses getting ready to track down a group of gazelles.

"Don't even think about it you two, there's no need to kill those weaklings." Shifting her eyes to the young girl on the ground she continued. "Heal yourself you are to be delivered unharmed and I can't drop you off looking like that."

"Where are you taking me to? Back to MBI?" The gentle healer inquired as she was enveloped in her golden dome.

"Stop asking ques… holy shit that's amazing!" the pinkette exclaimed after witnessing the rejection phenomenon take effect.

"It is isn't it?" The black sekirei asked before turning back to the girl in the bubble. "To answer your question we are dropping you off where we believe your friend Kurosaki-San is staying."

Instantly perking up at that information she couldn't help the smile that crossed her face. She couldn't believe the luck that she seemed to always come across.

"Thank you Karasuba-Chan."

"Please don't address me that way, either use San or Sama, but not Chan. One I'm not a child and two we're not that close. Also there is no need to thank me the president is doing this to end your protectors rampage." The older woman clarified.

"Rampage?" the quicksilver eyed teen asked with her head tilted to the side in confusion.

"Fufufu yes rampage, your friend nearly beat Minaka to death this morning when he broke into MBI looking for you." The female with disheveled gray hair chortled out. She was definitely going to burn a copy of that beating when she got home.

Orihime couldn't help but face palm at that piece of information. She knew Ichigo had a quick fuse, but the last few years he had been doing so much better at controlling his temper. Attacking the president of a major corporation was something she would never had seen coming in a million years.

"Sorry about the trouble he caused, Kurosaki-Kun can be very mean when he needs to be." The young adult apologized clasping her hands in front of her and bowing her head slightly.

Waving off her apologies she just motioned for her to follow them as they made their way to the north side of town.

* * *

-With Uzume-

Leaping across rooftops as fast as she could in full battle attire the 10th had to admit she was nervous, she only prayed that they found Orihime before anyone else. After seeing how far Ichigo was willing to go for the beautiful girl she feared for anyone that had the balls to lay a hand on her. She also knew that he had a lot of explaining to do with Miya. She had never seen Miya look so down right pissed before and frankly it scared the shit out of her, Matsu, and Kagari. When she received a call from him to join in the search, Miya flat out glared at her. Without a seconds notice she was out the door as fast as she could. This was exactly what she wanted to avoid when he dashed off to MBI by himself.

She mentally kicked herself for not going with him to try and keep the situation from exploding. More than anything she felt responsible for it 'If I hadn't called him he wouldn't have lost his cool, but there was no way I could keep that secret from him.' The brunette slightly shivered imagining if she hadn't told him and he found out. 'I really don't know who's scarier him or Miya.' Catching a streak of orange out of the corner of her eye she followed it knowing exactly who the owner of that unruly mop was.

"Ichigo!" The slightly winded woman called out.

Stopping at the call of his name the transcendent searched for the owner of the voice. Locking on to Uzume he couldn't help, but be floored by her outfit. She was wearing pure white silk, barely covering her modesty along with her limbs and a long white veil which seemed to flutter around her body.

Catching the slight pink on her ashikabi's face made a matching one show up on her own. She knew the outfit she battled in was extremely revealing, but she always justified that it was easy to move in.

"Hey any sign of her yet?" she asked slightly tugging at her bottoms feeling slightly exposed all of a sudden.

"Y-yeah um I caught up with an ashikabi and sekirei that tried to wing her, but she managed to fight them off and get away." He replied rubbing the back of his neck in slight embarrassment for being caught looking. "That outfit by the way… wow."

"Well I'm glad she managed to get away, she must be pretty tough to fight off an emerged sekirei."

Uzume replied with a smile on her face, glad that her ashikabi found her appealing.

* * *

"Yeah she can be pretty tough when she wants to be, kind of reminds me of an angry kitten though." He smiled as his eyes glazed over while thinking of Orihime putting on her 'tough' face.

"You really do love her don't you?" she had to ask all the signs were there. The way he always spoke so fondly of her, the extreme lengths he would go to for her, and distant look he would get when thinking of her.

"O-of course she's a really close friend of mine!" he replied a little too quickly. 'Am I in love with her?'

"You don't have to deny it Ichigo I can see the telltale signs of it." She spoke quietly with her head down her veil concealing her face from view. "Just so you know I wouldn't mind sharing you with her, I don't like it but I know it would make you happy."

"I doubt I'm the one she wants Uzume, after all we've been friends for years and nothing has ever happened." He stated walking up to her gently raising her chin with his thumb and fore finger.

Looking in his eyes she was mesmerized, this was the side of him that she wished Miya could see. The gentle, kind, and caring side that he tends to hide from people.

"I wouldn't sell yourself short just yet Ichigo, she would have to be blind not to see you for who you are."

"If I didn't know any better I would think you are trying to get us together." He stated quirking a brow at her.

"Maybe I am, I know she would make you happy and any sekirei would be lucky to have you as an ashikabi." The silk clad woman stated walking to the edge of the building they were standing on. "Don't misunderstand me though, I am giving you permission to wing her. Try to wing anyone else and I may cut your balls off." With that she jumped of the side to continue her search.

'Just great that's all I need right now.' Shaking his head he smiled at his possessive sekirei's antics and followed after her.

* * *

-Izumo Inn-

To say that Miya was pissed off would be a severe understatement. 'I told him not to cause trouble for us here and what does he do. He goes and hangs the damn president of MBI off of a building.' Apart of her enjoyed it more than she would like to admit, the same part wished that she was in his place at the moment. Trying to calm herself down she kneeled in front of a small shrine erected for her late husband Asama Takehito. "What should I do Takehito? I know you would never turn someone away that was in need, but this man is very dangerous. I don't know if I can trust him, but his actions seem to be driven solely by love for a sekirei. It's times like this that I truly miss your guidance."

"I think Takehito would hear his side of the story before passing judgment on him." came the soft voice of Maison Izumo's recluse Matsu.

"You really think he deserves it for the stunt he pulled. If Minaka found out it was you that helped him we would be swarmed with MBI agents." The purple haired woman retorted her voice gaining a steely edge to it.

"Yes I do, plus Minaka would never be able to trace what I did, which was barely anything at all." The red head replied with the upmost confidence.

"Maybe your right Matsu, but I still don't like the vibe he gives off."

"I'm assuming the nothingness and feeling of impending death." She answered back easily, she was unnerved by his presence herself. 'For Uzume's sake though I will try and convince Miya.'

"Yeah that would be it, ho…" being cut off by a knock at the door she motioned for Matsu to return to her room. She knew the energy signature of the person on the other side of the door. She couldn't say that she was surprised 'I knew I was right about him not even six hours here and the discipline squad is at my home.' Idly she wondered if she should grab her sword and give her guest a proper welcoming. Slowly padding down the hall she made her way to the front door. Blowing out a breath to calm herself she opened the door with an incredibly fake smile.

* * *

"Karasuba it's been a long time. I'm pretty sure that I told you to never come to my home again." She welcomed in a disturbingly sweet voice.

"Of course I remember very well Miya, you're looking well after all these years." The black sekirei answered back with just as much fake cheer.

"If you remember can I ask what brings you here." The former team leader asked opening her eyes reveling them to be cold as ice.

The four at the door couldn't help the icy shiver that shot down their spines. 'Scary' was the general consensus of the group.

"Now don't be like that I came with a peace offering for Kurosaki Ichigo, this is Inoue Orihime. This visit has nothing to do with me and you." Came the calm reply from Karasuba

"Oh and how do you know he lives here?"

"Just a hunch we know that his Sekirei is living here, so we took a long shot."

The young peace offerings eyes snapped wide open at that comment. 'Oh no I'm already too late someone has already claimed Kurosaki-Kun!' Noticing the girls growing despair caused Karasuba to roll her eyes and nudge the young woman with her elbow. She had to make sure that this girl got winged by him, she was her key to a great fight after all.

"What are you moping about it's possible for ashikabi to have more than one sekirei you know. Honestly did you even listen to Minaka's explanation or did you zone out."

"Heh heh I may have zoned out after he explained how sekirei are winged." The auburn haired healer replied scratching the back of her head sheepishly.

"Uhm." Miya cleared her throat rather loudly to get them back on track, gaining their attention she continued. "Well you guessed right, but what does Minaka want with Kurosaki-San."

"Hahaha to be honest absolutely nothing!" the blue sekirei burst out she couldn't help it, catching her superior's glare she brought her hands to her mouth and walked away to wait on the sidewalk.

"Well that wasn't the way I was going to put it, but it's the truth. All he wants to do is have a conversation preferably over the phone this time."

'Ahahahahahaha' realizing that Haihane was still in earshot after hearing her outburst again from the sidewalk. She pinched the bridge of her nose in irritation.

"Benitsubasa can you please go make Haihane be quiet"

"Sure thing Kara-Sama." The Red Sekirei stated before taking off after her team mate. She was glad for the reprieve she was also having a hard time not laughing at the comment.

"Fine, she can wait here until he comes back and make sure this is the last time you set foot on my property Karasuba." The land lady warned again with her fake cheery voice.

Waving off the threat Karasuba took her leave.

* * *

-Inside Izumo Inn-

"Please take a seat while I go make us some tea Inoue-San." The purple haired woman offered politely.

Beaming at her generous offer she was about to thank her when her stomach interrupted her.

'Grrrrrrr'

"Oh my it seems that I should fix you a sandwich too." Number 01 quickly amended her original offer hiding a giggle behind her hand.

Taken aback by the woman's sudden change in demeanor she had to chalk it up to the absence of Karasuba's presence.

"Thank you Miya-San I haven't eaten all day, but I don't want to be any trouble for you."

"Oh it's no trouble, but if you want you can pay me back by helping understand Kurosaki-San a little bit." The older woman bargained. She didn't like this type of tactic, but she really wanted information on her questionable tenant.

"O-okay but I'm not sure how much I can answer about him."

"Anything you answer will be fine Inoue-San.'

Walking into the kitchen to prepare a meal for her guest, she let her mind drift a bit. 'She seems to be really innocent I wonder how she got caught up with a brute like Kurosaki.' Hearing a ceiling tile slide out of place she looked up.

"Are you sure about this Miya? This could be a ploy by MBI, to get a mole in our home." The tech-wiz warned.

"I don't think that is what's going on Matsu, but I won't deny that it is a possibility. She seems genuinely innocent and I remember when her adjuster ran away with her. Ueda-San truly loved number 90 as his own flesh and blood, when he learned of the sekirei plan he escaped to keep her away from it. I remember Takehito being so proud of him for doing it. So I will help her for both of their sakes even if it is keeping her away from those monsters Kurosaki and Minaka." She finished solemnly

"Please give Ichigo a chance for Orihime and Uzume. I know he made a bad first impression, but a man willing to take on MBI all by himself for the safety of another can't be all bad right?" she pleaded

"…"

"Miya"

"I will try I won't promise anything else."

* * *

Walking back in the dining room with a plate and cup in her hand, she eyed the young woman who seemed to be deep in thought. Catching her eye she instantly found herself returning the smile the younger female had given her. 'I don't think it's possible to fake a smile that warm.' Miya thought as she set the food and drink in front of her.

"Thank you Miya-San or is it Asama-San. I'm not sure which one you prefer. I'm so sorry for being so forward and not asking before?" the warm hearted girl nervously rambled.

"Either is fine really." Miya giggled 'she is very sweet. Ueda-San must have raised her really well.'

"Okay Miya-San, please call me Orihime then it's only fair after all."

Miya was impressed with the gusto at which the young girl demolished the sandwich and tea.

"My you must have been really hungry Orihime"

"Heh heh yeah I haven't eaten since yesterday, sorry if I offended you."

"It's fine really" the older woman reassured. "But it's your turn to uphold your end of the deal. What kind of man is Kurosaki-San?"

"Hmm let's see, Kurosaki-Kun at first glance seems to come off as cold, uncaring, and indifferent to those around him. Most people in high school considered him a delinquent because they assumed he dyed his hair orange and the fact he used to get in a lot of fights. He never started the fights though, a lot of people attacked him because he was really strong. He may not act like it all the time but he's really smart and kept high grades all through high school. He's even studying medicine because he wants to help others like his father does. On the inside he is really caring and kind hearted, he always goes out of his way to help others when they're in need." She paused to take a breather talking about Ichigo came natural to her it was her favorite subject after all. "I can't even count how many times he has saved mine and our friend's lives. He is a natural born protector like his name sake suggests, if he has to he would put his life on the line to make sure his family and friends are safe."

Hearing the truth and conviction in her voice, she had to admit Ichigo had made quite the impression on the young sekirei.

"Have you ever reacted to him you know he is an ashikabi?" Seeing her blush and nod her head yes she continued. "How long have you been reacting to him?"

Putting a finger to her chin in thought she answered back.

"Well maybe four years give or take, it was always really confusing and I didn't know what was happening to my body. I almost kissed him when he was sleeping once, but I managed to hold back I didn't want to steal his first kiss." She blushed heavily after revealing the last part Tatsuki was the only one she had ever told about that.

'Wow this poor girl that must have been torture on her. Especially having no clue what she truly was.'

"That must have been incredibly painful for you. Can you tell me what Ichigo is though, I know he is an ashikabi but he is not exactly a human. It doesn't make sense he can't be an ashikabi if he's not human, but no human can move at speeds that he does or have completely no energy signature." She finally asked her real question after trying to draw her into a sense of security.

"I will answer you if tell me what you are. You don't exactly strike me as normal either Miya-San." The young adult narrowed her eyes at the woman across from her. MBI asked a lot of these same questions and she wouldn't put it past them to do this to get their answers.

"What do you mean by that?" the land lady challenged returning the slight glare.

"Well you have an intimate knowledge of Sekirei and Ashikabi. So either A. you're working for MBI to get answers from me or B. you are also a Sekirei." She answered holding up her hand raising fingers as she listed of her options.

"Wow that is impressively perceptive of you, but I assure you what you seen at the door between me and Karasuba was no act. I absolutely loathe MBI. You are correct with your second assumption I am Sekirei number 01 Miya, but I will warn you to keep that information to yourself."

Detecting no hints of deception she decided to give a little guarded information of her own.

"It's not that Kurosaki-Kun doesn't give off any energy, his power is at a level that no one can comprehend it. Do you think we could call him I'm kind of anxious to see him."

"Let me go see if I can find a way to contact him." She mechanically replied.

* * *

Standing up and leaving the room she tried to comprehend the information she had just been given. 'That can't be right. I know for a fact that no one can sense me unless I let them. Can he really be on a higher level then me?' so caught up in thought she didn't realize that her feet had already taken her to Matsu's door.

"M-Miya are you okay?" the strategist stuttered out.

"Yeah I'm fine. Do you think you can contact Uzume and Kurosaki-San for her?"

"I've been trying since she showed up, but Uzume must not have her phone on her. Maybe he has an address book in that bag Uzume took to her room earlier. We might find a way to contact him through that." Matsu mused aloud.

Turning on her heal Miya headed for Uzume's room. Normally she would never consider going through someone's personal belongings, but this situation was far from normal. Returning to the dining room with the bag in hand Miya set it down in front of the young healer.

"I couldn't find a number for him, but maybe he has an address book with some numbers you could call. I don't want to go through his belongings, but you being a close friend of his, along with the situation we are in I'm making an exception." The older miko explained.

Opening the bag with shaky hands the shield user's eyes sparkled with excitement at the first thing she laid her eyes on. Sitting innocently in the front pocket of the bag was a cell phone that looked exactly like her old one. Flipping it open she mentally cheered when she noticed that Urahara had put all her contacts in this one.

"I take it you found something useful." Miya stated eyeing the strange looking cell phone.

Orihime didn't bother to respond just gave a simple nod of her head. She scrolled through her contacts list before she found the one she was looking for. With her heart hammering an erratic beat and her hands shaking slightly she hit the call button and brought the mobile device to her ear. Each ring seemed like a lifetime to the young woman. Finally after five rings it connected.

"K-Kurosaki-kun where are you?"

A/N: Whew two chapters in three days not too bad. Thanks to all that have reviewed, Faved and, followed. To my reviewers you guys have no idea how much you help spur my imagination and help me pump these chapters out. Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter.


	7. Chapter 7

He was getting fucking pissed there was no other way to describe the fire burning in the depths of his soul. He had never been a very patient person, and this situation was severely pushing his boundaries. He had been searching for hours and it was getting dark, still no trace of his missing nakama. He knew MBI could track every sekirei with precision and yet all he had received from that dickhead was a general location. Looking to the brown haired vixen to his left he could tell she was getting just as frustrated as he was. Blowing out a harsh breath he came to a stop at the edges of a park.

"Wow this is fucking bullshit! I think I'm going to strangle that white haired freak the next time I see him! He couldn't have given me worse directions if he tried!" the angered man barked out.

"Stop complaining we'll find her" the veil user huffed. She could understand his frustration, but right now it wasn't helping anything. "And please stop talking about killing Minaka! Miya is already pissed at you for what you did earlier!"

"Like I give a shit about what she thinks and that asshole had it coming to him! Just because you guys don't have the guts to stick up to him doesn't mean I'm going to bow down to him!" he fired back, his anger was steadily increasing. He couldn't see why this man was so feared, aside from the large corporation and military he wasn't shit.

"You're really an asshole you know that?! It's not about bowing down to him, it's about finding our destined ones! I think you are seriously underestimating what he is capable of! For Miya just stop! She has gone out of her way to help me and you causing trouble for her is a shitty way of paying her back!" the busty girl raged at him. Normally she would have just blown off a person's comments and let them vent, but his temper had the potential to make numerous enemies on both sides of the game.

Taken by surprise at her outburst he stopped his own tirade and thought about what she had said to him. Being labeled an asshole was nothing new, Ishida and several others had proclaimed it on many occasions after all. What caught his attention was when she said he was underestimating him. 'True he is not as dangerous as Aizen physically. 'She may be right I have just written him off as nothing, but that doesn't mean that he doesn't have something up his sleeve. I really don't know anything about Uzume's and Miya's relationship and I'd feel pretty shitty fucking up their friendship.' With a heavy sigh he ran a hand through his unruly hair. He knew he slipped back into his old ways storming Shinto Tower and after finding Inoue he would try going about this game with a different approach.

"Sorry, I know I can get reckless. It's just frustrating as hell you kno…" he was cut off from his apology when a very familiar signature crossed his senses. Shunpoing towards the feeling he had no doubt in his mind of who it belonged to.

"What the hell! He wait up I'm not as fast as you remember!" the brown eyed girl exclaimed as she hustled after him. Stopping in a clearing after a few minutes on the run she caught a glimpse of her Ashikabi kneeling next to a crater in the ground. He had a neutral look on his face as if he was examining the area around him.

"What's wrong Ichigo?" she inquired even though she had a pretty good idea of what it could be.

"She was here and she was fighting. I can't pick up what direction she went though, there were several others here with her." His nervousness was growing, he was confident she could handle herself. Being ganged up on though was something even great warriors could easily succumb to.

"How do know for sure it was her? How many others do you think there were?" again she fired off questions at him. Ganging up on other sekirei was a cowardly action, all battles were meant to be fought one on one. 'I wonder if that crazy bastard sent the Disciplinary squad after her. If so this could get volatile in a hurry.' She wouldn't put it past the white obsessed man, it was an idiotic move that could be made out of spite.

"I know it's her because there is no way that I would mistake her reiatsu when it's this close to me. I think there were five others with her here also and one of them was incredibly strong." His heart clenched, he wouldn't allow himself to imagine how he would cope if he was too late to help her.

"Come on let's keep looking around maybe we can catch up to whoever was here and get some answers." Uzume offered she wasn't really in the mood to see Ichigo 'question' someone, but she had to get him to focus. 'I think I'm starting to understand him. He thrives off the safety of those he cares about, if that safety is in question he freaks out. Well that explains what happened to Minaka, he probably was trying to toy with him.' Looking at her ashikabi she started to admire him more for the lengths he goes to for others. She really wanted this situation over, so she could relax with the man she deeply cared about, even if for a little while before this game started for real.

* * *

"Yeah you're right they couldn't have gotten far." He stated as he started to run again only to stop after a few steps. To stop any comments from his companion he held up a hand while digging through his pockets and pulling out his cellphone. His eyes widened considerably at the name displayed on the caller ID, so caught up by the sight he didn't register that he should answer it until the fifth ring.

"Inoue?" he asked with an immense amount of disbelief in his voice. There was only one conclusion that he could come up with. She had to have gotten her hands on the new phone he brought for her and that was at Izumo Inn. 'How the hell did she get there?'

"K-Kurosaki-Kun where are you?"

The sound of her voice was like a gentle rain dowsing the flames of rage that burned inside of him. He was immensely relived to here that she sounded relatively unharmed, but he needed confirmation. So he asked the one question that he's asked over a thousand times.

"Inoue are you okay?"

"I'm fine Kurosaki-Kun, I haven't been winged if that's what you're asking." She giggled through the phone. She knew he was probably worried sick about her, so she decided to keep her fighting away from him for now.

"I'm glad, I found a battle field in a park that had your reiatsu all over it." The orange haired man replied back with happiness radiating through his voice.

'Dang he always finds out' "Well I had a fight in a park a little while ago." She confirmed sucking her bottom lip between her teeth.

"We can talk about that later where are you right now?" It's not that he wasn't curious about the fight, he made a mental note to ask later. Right now though he needed to see her and hold her to make sure she was safe. 'Wait what the fuck! Where did that part come from?' he silently chastised himself for thinking about being so forward with her.

"I'm at Izumo Inn with Miya-San." Her nerves were on edge now. The promise of seeing him after months of being apart and the fact that she knew she would react to him had her incredibly nervous. The nervousness was heavily outweighed by the happiness of confirming what she always knew and that was that Kurosaki Ichigo was her destined one.

"Okay I'll be there soon!" he quickly replied hanging up without saying good bye

* * *

Looking across the table she noticed the displeased look on her temporary guardians face. She had to try her hardest to clear up any misconceptions that the purple haired woman had about Ichigo before he arrived. Picking up the tea kettle she refilled her cup and took sip before starting.

"Miya-San what do you have against Kurosaki-Kun?"

The miko just sighed in response to the question. If she were being honest with herself she really couldn't answer the question. She didn't know him all that well, but their first meeting was rough to put it lightly. Him blatantly lying to her when he promised not to cause trouble was the only reasonable thing she could dislike him for. If it wasn't for the fact that he seemed too dangerous to be around she could probably overlook the lying by just giving him a warning. There were just too many unknowns for her to be comfortable with.

"The only thing I can dislike him for is the fact that he promised to not cause trouble and not even an hour later he was dangling the President of MBI off of a building." she calmly replied after a moment.

"Oh, then I wouldn't worry too much if I were you." She knew first hand that if Ichigo made a promise then it would be kept at all costs. He was never a man to go back on his word, his pride wouldn't allow it. Noticing that her comment didn't seem to have any effect on the land lady's mood she added.

"He might have a weird way of going about things, but if he promised that he wouldn't cause trouble for you then he won't. Unlike most people Kurosaki-Kun takes his promises very seriously and nothing can deter him from keeping it."

"You seem to be awfully sure of him. May I ask why that is?" she was being skeptical she knew it, but it was going to take more than some pretty words to earn her trust.

Blowing out a breath of frustration she knew this woman would take some convincing, but she really didn't want to dive into everything that they had been through. She knew too much information would expose the existence of the Soul Society and the truth behind what Ichigo really was. She needed to reveal something though if they were going to stay here during this whole mess.

"I'm not sure what I can tell you, if I reveal something I shouldn't and things don't work out. Then it could turn into a bigger problem then what we are currently dealing with. I will tell you that he promised to always protect me once and since that day he has done just that. He's nearly died for me several times and literally did once, all to make sure that I was okay. When I told you that he would put his life on the line for the people he cares for I wasn't being cliché, I know from experience."

That piece of information had Miya slightly reeling. 'What kind of life have these young kids led that would put them in life and death situations.' She knew that the Sekirei Plan was going to be dangerous, but the way this young adult was acting it seemed like she was treating the game like an ordinary thing in her life.

"How could you have been through so many life and death situations being so young?" she asked in disbelief, not denying her words just having a tough time comprehending them.

"I don't know maybe bad luck or it could have been fate that brought me into Kurosaki-Kun's life" the auburn haired beauty answered with a shrug of her shoulders. She never questioned why things always happened to her or her friends, they always just worked together to fix a problem when one would surface.

Like most sekirei Miya also believed in fate, and the obvious love this one had for the orange haired delinquent couldn't be anything else but fate.

"I will try and give him a chance, I just hope my faith is not misdirected." She sighed out as she leaned back in her seated position resting on her arms that were extended behind her.

"It won't be and you won't regret it!" the bright eyed girl beamed at the older woman, happy that she helped Ichigo.

* * *

Watching the bright haired man and silk garbed sekirei dash out of the park after a phone call. A tall, relatively slim built black-haired man who wore spectacles, with a black suit, white shirt underneath and a yellow tie couldn't help but be curious. He was close enough to get pieces of the conversation without being noticed by the pair. From what he could put together the man had a grudge against Minaka, was looking for the elusive number 90, and also appeared to be the ashikabi of number 10 Uzume. Reaching into the inner pocket of his jacket to retrieve his phone, there was no way his boss would want to miss this tidbit of information.

"Hello?" Came a silky smooth voice from the other end of the line.

"Higa-San I have some very interesting news for you." The dark haired man started.

"Is that so now and what would that be?" the newly identified Higa queried.

"Well I just found the ashikabi of Uzume and it seems that he holds a personal grudge against MBI as well."

"Really that is interesting, who is the ashikabi? I was sure it was going to be the little girl, but it seems that bastard Shito grew a conscious and ran off with her instead of infecting her." The young heir incorrectly stated, it still burned his ass that his head of security disobeyed him and disappeared.

"I'm not sure yet, but I will have Kochou do a search in the MBI database and find out. Also it seems that he is disobeying Minaka's text and still pursuing number 90." The faithful employee informed

"Hmm, he seems like an interesting person. Maybe he will be some use to me, if I can find a way to make him comply with my requests." The handsome man mused already thinking of a way to entice the mystery man. 'If worse comes to worse I'll just have to force him into compliance.'

"Keep an eye on him Kakizaki see if wings number 90 as well."

"Understood."

* * *

-Ichigo and Uzume-

His heart was hammering in his chest as he ran through the streets. Even though the sun was setting the streets were still crowded and using shunpo wasn't an option. Knowing that she was safely at Izumo Inn had put less of a strain on him to reach top speeds, so he took the time to run normally. Know that her safety was out of the way he was trying to think of a way to appease Miya. 'Maybe I won't have to. I have almost completed what I have come to do and that was find Orihime. If she doesn't like me that's her fucking problem!' Looking to his left he shook those negative thoughts away, he would try for Uzume. While he was slightly distracted admiring her body as she ran next to him he almost ran into a pole. Quickly jumping to the left to avoid it is when he heard a snicker from the beautiful girl accompanying him.

"Things like that wouldn't happen if you weren't staring like a pervert Ichi." Uzume giggled out matter of factly.

"I'm not a pervert, anyone would check you out in an outfit like that. And Ichi really you can do better than that." He huffed as he regained his previous pace.

"You're right maybe you would prefer ecchi or maybe strawberry instead." the playful sekirei quipped with a smile on her face.

"You're fucking impossible you know that?! Take the lead would ya I have no clue of where the hell I'm going." The agitated man replied.

"You just want to stare at my butt while I run don't you?" getting a growl in reply she just smiled before adding "you're going to have to loosen up sometime Ichigo. After all you really never know how long you have with someone."

Opting not to reply and let the words sink into his memory, she was right after all, time was never a guarantee. He knew the hard way that people could vanish from your life in the blink of an eye. His mother's death, Rukia's imprisonment, and Orihime's disappearances were all painful reminders of that very fact. He had to get the most out of the time he had with the people close to him and he would damn sure make it happen. Keeping his eyes focused straight ahead he was glad to start recognizing the buildings around him it meant he was getting close.

Finally making it through the front gate at Izumo Inn Uzume motioned for him to wait outside. She had no doubts in her mind that the newly reunited couple would want some privacy and she also wanted to work some damage control with Miya. Walking in the front door she quietly walked down the hall trying to get a feel for the mood that Miya was in. To her complete surprise she heard the land lady laughing and not the usual giggle it seemed to be full on belly laughter. Peeking her head into the dining room she was almost floored at the scene before her. The beautiful bright haired teen was gesturing wildly with her hands while going on about little blue men and robots. Much to the 10th's dismay her potential sister sekirei was even more alluring in person. Her hair was an amazing shade of sunset orange a tad darker than her ashikabis, she had a very provocative body that was further accentuated by the tight white top she was wearing and ankle length skirt that hugged her womanly hips. Getting a better look at her face she had to admit this girl was drop dead gorgeous, with sparkling silver eyes and super nova smile. 'Maybe I should take Ichigo and run' she debated a few seconds with herself before reasoning that Ichigo would never leave without the bombshell sitting with Miya.  
"Hey what are you guys laughing about so hard?" she asked while walking fully into the room

"Oh you're back, Uzume this is Inoue Orihime. I was laughing at one of Orihime's wild theories she has a very active imagination." The brown eyed miko chuckled out she couldn't help it being around this girl put her at ease.

"It's nice to finally meet you Orihime, I feel like I kind of know you already with how much Ichigo talks about you." Uzume stated while smiling at the younger female. She was extremely grateful for the mood she had put Miya in.

"How do you know Kurosaki-Kun?" she had a hunch but she wanted solid proof.

"I'm his sekirei number 10 Uzume and we have been running all over town for hours looking for you."

The confirmation of the new arrivals identity hit the gentle healer right in the face and it was her turn to be slightly jealous. 'Aww she's really pretty and she has a knock out body. What if Kurosaki-kun doesn't want me to be his sekirei.' That thought brought a question screaming to the front of her mind.

"Where is Kurosaki-Kun?" the sometimes ditzy woman asked.

* * *

Standing in the front yard gazing at the newly risen moon the young transcendent felt a slight pull of anxiousness setting in. Being this close to her he could definitely differentiate Orihime's reiatsu from the others. Just like Uzume's he could feel the slight pull of warmth coming from the kind hearted girl. He couldn't be reckless though he didn't want to force a bond with her. 'Why would she want someone like me to be her ashikabi? I mean we're close friends, but Uzume made it sound more like a marriage than anything else. Could she really be looking for that kind of bond with me of all people?' locked into his self-deprecating thoughts he didn't even realize it when another person joined him to gaze at the moon.

She couldn't believe that she was able to sneak up on him. After all his training he could usually pick her up within a few mile radius, now she was right next to him and he was clueless. Looking up at him in moonlight with his eyes shining with their usual fire that threatened to burn you when he set his gaze on you, his bright spikey hair gently being ruffled by the wind, and his scowl that she found absolutely irresistible etched into his handsome face. Her body screamed at her to take action refusing to give in to anymore of her logic or reasoning. It was a primal urge that was starting to take hold of her. She didn't know if it was the knowledge of what was happening or her accepting her instincts, but this reaction was ten times more powerful than the other ones. She was trying to catch her breath, but it was coming in small pants. So with a shaky hand and thundering heart she reached out for him.

Snapping back to reality when he felt a gentle tug at his shirt he. Turning his head he was almost floored by the sight before him. Shy and timid were usually words you could describe Inoue with, but not this Inoue. This Inoue was far different than the one he usually hung out with. The look in her eye could only be described as desire, lust, and uninhibited love that burned like an inferno. He was starting to lose himself just like with Uzume, when he stopped mere inches from her face.

"Are you sure about this Inoue?" he asked slightly breathlessly her reiatsu was definitely having an effect on him. He had no clue if an ashikabi could have a reaction, but he was unquestionably being drawn into her.

Letting actions speak louder than words Karakura High's former idol fisted two handfuls in his shirt and tugged him the rest of the distance between their lips. Bliss complete and utter bliss surged through her body lighting up every nerve ending as it ricocheted from her toes to the top of her head. She could feel the bond forming between them, not even noticing the few tears that slid from her eyes, as an overwhelming amount of love started to flow into her from Ichigo. Years and years worth of loneliness, doubts, and disbelief washed away in an instant. Replaced with nothing but love, bliss and primal hunger for the one she was currently joined with. When he grabbed the back of her head to deepen the kiss is when she felt a coil tightening inside her winding up tighter preparing to snap with each passing second. In the blink of an eye her world burst into complete euphoria, making her muscles lock and hunch forward. Blindingly bright golden wings erupted from her back giving all in the area a breathtaking show. As the light started to fade and her euphoric high ebbing away she started her Norito.

"By the shields of my pact my ashikabi's fears will be rejected."

After hearing her norito and seeing her wings he couldn't help but believe she was an angel sent to redeem his dark soul. His heart swelled when her emotions coursed through his veins illuminating all the darkness that hide beneath the surface, pushing all the negative away bringing the sun back to his inner world. The repressed urges for the woman in front of him were ignited by the roaring blaze of emotion flowing from his second sekirei.

'Mine' with that thought he closed the distance between them again searing their lips together once more.

She was openly crying and she couldn't have cared less she was actively trying to burn this experience into her long term memory. She had finally done it, she caught the impossible dream of hers and claimed her spot with Ichigo forever. She accepted his tongue into her mouth gratefully and to her surprise he was an even better kisser then she always imagined he would be. No matter how hard she tried she couldn't seem to get close enough to him. Even with her hands gripping his hair and him pulling her into him it wasn't enough. More skin to skin, more touching just… more her instincts urged her on. Feeling him grasp her backside and lift her up she didn't hesitate to wrap her legs around his waist.

Standing at the front door Miya and Uzume were speechless at what they were witnessing. The raw unadulterated love that saturated the air was almost intoxicating. The passion from her ashikabi had Uzume's heart racing and longing for when she would finally have her love reciprocated the same way as this. She felt the pang in her heart, but pushed it away there was no way she could ruin this moment for another sekirei. She wasn't too proud to admit she wished her own winging was this passionate.

Miya on the other hand was having her opinion of the orange haired man completely changed. The love that seemed to vibrate off the two teens was nothing short of inspiring. 'This is what it should be for every little bird.' Seeing him grip her cheeks and lift her in the air was her cue to put an end to their exhibitionist actions. 'Can't having them do that in the front yard. Definitely going to have to keep an eye on those two they will almost assuredly break the no illicit relations rule.' Casting a quick glance at Uzume she just sighed at the look of lust filling her eyes 'make that watch all three of them.'

* * *

"EHM" she cleared her throat, getting the desired reaction of both individuals splitting apart sporting matching blushes she continued. "Orihime that is no way for a young lady to behave and Ichigo have you forgotten my no illicit actions rule." She finished with a smile that reminded both young adults uncomfortably of Unohana. Surprising both was a demonic visage with horns and blood red eyes.

"Sorry Asama-San I got a little carried away." The lone male replied as calmly as he could. He wasn't scared but he had to admit it was kind of an intimidating trick, he was impressed.

"Sorry Miya-San I-I didn't know that rule." The flushed healer mumbled out rubbing her legs together uneasily her body was really heated after the exchange.

To further kill the mood his phone rang scowling at the unfamiliar number before he answered.

"Hello"

"Kurosaki-San I see that you got the gift I had the discipline squad track down for you." Came the cheery voice of the game master himself. As a live feed popped up on the phone so they could see each other as they conversed.

"What the hell do you want?!" noticing Miya stiffen slightly at his brashness is when he decided a little more tact was needed to make it work out between them.

"Now calm down I've called to give you a choice. Now before you speak think hard on this because I will not offer this again. You can take your sekirei and go home. Or you can stay and participate in the game, but you have to follow the rules." The usually energetic man offered in a very serious manner. He wanted him in the game of course, but having a loose cannon like him running wild would hamper his plans. If he could get him to play by the rules he would be an extremely interesting player.

He was getting ready to answer when he felt two different hands tug on his arms, looking at the owners he sighed they both looked fiercely determined. He had no doubts that they wanted to stay and help the others of their kind find happiness and end this game.

"Say that I decide to stay what are the rules?" the composed visored asked.

"All sekirei fight one on one, an ashikabi can only interfere to use norito."

"That's fine as long as the fight is fair I wont interfere." The powerful hybrid confirmed

"After the fight the winning sekirei has to stay with the defeated sekirei until MBI can retrieve the defeated. A win won't count unless this condition is met."

"That is also agreeable. What happens to the defeated after they are retrieved?"

"Well they are brought back to MBI. Assuming they are still alive they will be treated and held to the end of the game." The president cryptically replied not really giving a definite answer if they would be rereleased or not. Seeing the young man nod he continued.

"Also you are forbidden from leaving the city for the duration of the game."

"Unacceptable, but I will bargain with you and let you know when I leave. If you're worried about me smuggling sekirei out don't be. The only ones leaving with me will be these two. Just call me and I will try to make it back if something important is going on." Ichigo counter offered.

"Hmm I don't like the sound of that and this is really not a negotiation." The super genius mussed while rubbing his chin, he knew he couldn't stop him from leaving but it was a fair compromise to have him in the game. "I will allow it as long as you answer when I call. I have a question where did you get that phone? I'm having an awful time trying to hack it or even track its signal. I can't even do it right now while I'm talking to you. It's quite frustrating!" the eccentric man rambled out showing his energetic nature once more. Not even caring that he admitted trying to tap his phone.

"It was a gift from Urahara talk to him about it and I accept your conditions I'll be in touch." With that he closed his phone disconnecting the conversation. Turning back to his current company he was slightly confused by their expressions, well not Orihime's she was smiling like usual. The other two were shocked by the complete audacity of him to stand there and haggle with the president of MBI over the rules of a deadly game.

"What?" he asked getting nervous from the staring. He scratched the back of his head to alleviate the stress from the uncomfortable silence. "You guys wanted to stay and help so that's what we're going to do."

"I hope your confidence is well founded Kurosaki-San, this is going to be a hard game to win. Enough about that though the game hasn't even started yet. Right now you all need a bath, while I go fix us a late dinner." The premier sekirei stated walking back into the house.

"Together!" an excited Uzume asked she certainly wouldn't mind bathing with Ichigo or Orihime.

"I allow mixed bathing as long as bathing is the only thing going on." She calmly stated walking away as the demonic mask peered at them from around the corner.

"Not happening Uzume." The slightly prudish male replied.

"Aww come on you let me give you a massage last night, this isn't that different." The busty brunette whined.

A little peeved at the other female for putting her hands on her Kurosaki-Kun. Glaring at her slightly for the fact that she had already received Ichigo's first kiss, she'd be damned if she let her steal any of his other firsts.

"It might be fun Kurosaki-Kun and latter maybe you can give me a massage?" she pleaded with her best puppy dog face. She knew she was being extremely forward with him, but she had no doubts in her heart about their love anymore. Plus she had another seductress making a move on him. She inwardly grinned when her scheming was taking effect the look on her ashikabi's face was priceless.

"Gah you're both impossible! Fine I'm in and I don't mind giving you a massage later if you want Orihime." He replied rubbing the bridge of his nose. 'These two are going to be the death of me.' Snapping his head up when he heard Orihime suck in a breath he looked at her with a questioning gaze.

"T-That was the first time you've called me Orihime, I-I've been waiting years for you to call me that!" she replied from behind her hands staring at her ashikabi with eyes filled of wonder and happiness.

"Yeah it kind of came out on accident I'm glad you don't mind." He replied with a warm smile.

Looking at the two interacting the silk clad woman had to admit they were really adorable together, but she wanted to take that bath and Miya was never pleasant when kept waiting.

"Okay love birds lets go. We don't want to keep Miya waiting when she generously offered to make a late dinner for us."

* * *

Following the two females to the bathroom he was a complete wreck. All the years of crafting his gentlemanly image when it came to girls could be ruined if anyone else found out about this. Luck was never on his side it seemed as a pair of golden eyes followed the love triangles approach to the bathroom. 'Kisuke and Isshin are never going to believe this' the black cat thought as she made a quiet dash from the house laughing all the way towards the train station. Originally she wanted to ensure Orihime's safety, but this was so much better in her opinion. This was definitely news she had to deliver to the two perverts in person. 'Their reactions are going to be priceless!'

Listening to their conversation before going to make dinner the purple haired premier giggled at their antics. 'He may be a little more innocent then I gave him credit for. Most guys would jump at the chance to bath with those two. I'm not sure how I feel about him giving massages though.' She quietly thought half expecting a visit from Matsu, when none came she simply wrote it off that she was spying on them. 'Things are going to get very lively around here.'

Standing in the changing room just outside the bathing area Orihime was red as a tomato. Her and Uzume had just got undressed, after Ichigo went first stating there was no need to change together as well. She was unintentionally blocking the door from the other woman who seemed to be getting more agitated by the second. She couldn't help it though saying bathing together would be a good idea was one thing actually doing it was another.

"Would you just go in already or at least stop blocking the entrance Orihime?" Uzume groaned out after getting a glimpse of her ashikabi last night she wanted to see more.

"I-I'm sorry I'm just nervous is all!" the busty younger woman quickly replied flailing her arms making her breast jiggle slightly.

"Don't be from what I can see you have nothing to be ashamed of. He would have to be blind not be appreciative of your appearance. Besides the way he reacted when you emerged I would have to say that he is very attracted to you." The busty 10th finished nodding sagely.

Smiling at the slightly older woman's words she opened the door and stepped inside. Looking around she was impressed with the size of the bathing area, at least four or five people could comfortably bathe in there. She spotted her love sitting under one of the shower nozzles on a stool with his back pointed towards the door. Instantly her nerves started washing away she knew Ichigo wasn't a pervert and the fact that he didn't try to sneak a glance when they walked in further drove that point home. Watching the busty brunette pick up soap and a wash cloth before approaching Ichigo made her scowl slightly. Grabbing her wrist before she could touch him she leveled her with a questioning glare.

Uzume simply smiled at the possessive actions of the other female. Handing over the supplies she just motioned for the other woman to begin washing his back. Turning around she equipped herself with another wash cloth before walking around to her muscular loves front.

With his eyes closed he was simply content to let the water beat against the top of his head. Going through everything that had happened to him in the span of two days had a headache begin to take hold. Not that he was complaining about having two beautiful women vying for his attention now. It was just overwhelming since he hasn't had one woman in his entire life. Jumping slightly when he felt two small hands gently begin to wash his back, he cracked his eyes open only to widen them completely at the sight of a very gorgeous and very naked Uzume kneeling in front of him. He began to say something only for a finger to gently land on his lips silencing him.

* * *

"Just relax Ichigo we're only going to bathe you is all so enjoy." She offered him a small smile and peck on the lips to help calm him down.

Holding out her hand for the soap which Orihime quickly obliged. Looking at her co-sekirei she smiled a wide smile at the look of wonder on the younger girls face as she lathered up Ichigo's back and began to make small circles with the cloth. Not one to be out done she soaped up her own rag before starting at his right calf working her way up. She stopped at his upper thigh and worked her way up his stomach reveling in the harden muscles coiled just below the skin.

His brain had completely shut down and refused to reboot. There was no way this was his life things like this just didn't happen to him. He would never admit to the occasional fantasies that he had about his close friend, but the real thing blew all those day dreams out of the water. He hadn't seen her yet but he was certain she was a knock out like the girl currently roaming his front with her hands. He almost lost his composure when he felt Orihime's bust push into his back as her arms wrapped around his neck, she didn't utter a single word just nuzzled into the side of his neck with a content sigh. The intimate skin to skin contact was indescribable to him. Mentally he kicked himself for keeping distance between himself and the human backpack draped on his shoulders. Turning his head he gave her a quick kiss on the temple before turning back to the other occupant in the room, who gave him a playful grin.

"Come on let's get in the bath and relax for a little while, it's been a long day for everyone." The brown eyed girl directed while standing up offering him a hand to stand up.

Smiling at her he complied taking the hand while the auburn haired girl relinquished her hold on him. Getting a full look at Orihime confirmed his assumption she was a perfect 10/10. Her smooth porcelain skin contrasted sharply with her bright hair. He inwardly groaned as his eyes roamed up her shapely legs, up her tight flat stomach, generous bust, and ended on her beautiful eyes that mirrored his own appraising look. Both catching each other stealing a look at the others body made bright blushes dust their cheeks. Flustered Orihime mumbled something incoherent before scampering into the tub. Turning around in slight embarrassment for being caught landed him right in front of Uzume who unlike her counterpart openly drank in the image of Ichigo's naked form. 'I see that everything about him is above average!' she mentally cheered. She loved the fact that her openness didn't seem to be rebuked as her ashikabi took his own time appraising the woman in front of him. Grabbing his hand she guided him to the tub before she stepped in and sat far enough away from Orihime to allow him to sit between them.

It was official he was going to have a melt down and it had nothing to do with the temp in the bath tub. He was at a complete loss for words this was something straight out of a hentai mag Keigo always read. No words seemed to be fine with the other bathers as they leaned into him each claiming an arm and resting it between their cleavages. Feeling swelling start to take effect down below was when embarrassment started to sink in. 'I really am a pervert like Goat-Chin and Geta-Boshi' he inwardly groused.

Orihime was on cloud nine even with the addition of the other woman in the bath. There was no way her moment could be ruined. This was everything she had always wanted the closeness, the intimate contact, and the love she felt from Ichigo. Closing her eyes and enjoying the wave after wave of feelings radiating from her love is when she pieced it together. 'It's his reiatsu I'm feeling!' sure enough it had the same heavy quality as it used to, but unlike the raw raging storm it used to be. It was pure and smooth as silk as it gently wrapped around her in the safe cocoon she dearly missed. Looking to the other female she could see a similar look on the brunette's face. She had her eyes closed and seemed to be basking in the abundance of love freely flowing between them. Concentrating she realized that she could also read Uzume's reiatsu just as easily as Ichigo's. Hers was warm and filled with kindness and love.

A knock at the door startled them out of their own personal thoughts. None of them wanted to move from the peaceful sanctuary they found in each other's company, but all good things had to come to an end. They could always come back here whenever they wanted after all.

"Dinners ready." The miko called out. She had been listening at the door to see if they could be trusted on their own. To her surprise everything was quite on the other side so there was no way to be doing anything besides bathing. She smiled as she walked away, Ichigo had just gone up another notch in her book.

Completely relaxed after his bath he walked to the dining room to meet the others, after staying back in the bathroom to let himself calm down a little. He was speechless at the meal in front of him that consisted of perfectly grilled fish, miso soup, rice and tea. He didn't think Miya would go to all this trouble for them especially this late at night.

* * *

"Thank you Miya this looks wonderful." The young hybrid quickly stated, after being on the run all day he was starving. His thanks was mirrored by his sekirei as well.

"You're very welcome" she replied back seeing a slightly sheepish look on the young healers face she asked "Orihime is something wrong?"

Shaking her head sheepishly she awkwardly smiled.

"It's nothing Miya-San I just usually east my fish with wasabi and honey, and red bean paste with my rice heh heh." She answered in slight embarrassment. She knew her tastes were weird, but the joy of finding new combinations of food outweighed the few times she made herself sick. She looked to her right when she heard the sound of chuckling, sure enough it was Ichigo-Kun.

"I knew this was going to happen." He stated standing up and walking to his bag that was still in the corner from earlier. Pulling out tubes of her usually added ingredients he handed them over when he sat back down. He was rewarded with a super nova smile from the gentle girl.

Finishing dinner they all made their way back to Uzume's room well technically all of their room now. Once again he was met with an awkward situation as the brunette pulled off her shirt stating that she liked to sleep in only her panties. Shaking it off, reasoning that they already bathed together so it wasn't a big deal he didn't complain. Looking to his left he noticed Orihime digging through his bag pulling out a pair of boxers and muscle shirt to sleep in, but like Uzume she didn't mind that he was there as she changed. He was beyond caring at this point he was tired and the comfortable oblivion of sleep called to him. Throwing on a pair of red gym shorts he crawled into the futon set out for him on the floor. As expected the two girls pushed their beds together with his and cuddled up next to him. A silent glare passed between the two when their hands touched while trying to stake their claim on Ichigo.

Completely unaware the young transcendent drifted off with the two women in his arms.

The sound of his phone going off made all three of the sleeping Izumo Inn occupants groan in disapproval. Untangling himself from his girlfriends he grabbed the offending device contemplating on smashing it. Looking at the screen made his eyebrow twitch.

"What the hell do you want this early?!"

"IIIIICCCCHHHHHIIIGGGGOOOOOO I expect twice as many grand children from you now that you have two girlfriends! Litters of super hybrid children as far as the eye can se…" he knew the man was wailing in front of his mother's poster that hung in the kitchen so he hung up on him.

"How the hell did he know?! Ah fuck me!"

A/N: Thanks for the reviews, favs, and follows keep em coming you guys kick ass. Hope you enjoyed the chapter.


	8. Chapter 8

Performing Jinzen was one of the few ways the young transcendent knew how to calm himself down. After the early wakeup call from his old man there was no way he could go back to sleep, even with the urging of his two sekirei. So he found a decent place outside under a large tree and summoned the sword of his soul.

Entering his inner world was always a bitter sweet experience for the visored. Perched on the sideways sky scrapers that littered his soul he gazed out at an expansive forest with a majestic lake in the center of it. He knew it was the manifestation of his merger with Zangetsu, but it never stopped him from searching endlessly in its depths for the missing part of his soul. In addition to the forest was a pit that seemed to draw all light and hope into its immense nothingness. Once again he knew why it was there and once again he submerged himself into the bleak void to find his enlightenment. Much to his chagrin no answers resided there either. He really had no reason to come back inside his soul anymore, maybe it was the nostalgia that prompted his visits. Catching his attention was a new addition to his soul, just outside the forest was a field of flowers. Shunpoing to the new addition he couldn't believe what he was witnessing, half the field was bright blue hibiscus flowers and the other pure white lilies. Shocked, but not overwhelmed he quickly made the connection. Plucking a flower from each field he could readily feel his sekirei's emotions. Smiling sadly, he wished Zangetsu was here to share the warm sunshine and new additions with him. Abandoning the field he went to the lake to be near his zanpakutou and swim in its crystal depths, before he could sink he felt someone drawing near him in the outside world.

Miya was an early riser so being awake at 5:30 in the morning was nothing new to the powerful woman. Sliding open the backdoor she was met with the crisp morning air, the smell of fresh dew was invigorating to the premier. To her shock she wasn't the only one taking advantage of the early morning splendor.

'Where the heck did he get a sword from?' the miko inquired she had never seen him with it before. Looking closer she had to admit that it was a majestic blade, the unusual design and sleek black sheen was enthralling. Not wanting to disturb him, knowing full well the private nature of soul searching, she couldn't help but advance on him anyway. He looked so at peace with the beautifully crafted blade resting in his lap. Getting within ten feet of him is when his chocolaty orbs locked onto her. Slightly startled by the deadly gaze, she was amazed at the experience the chocolaty eyes held. 'He's a true warrior! Only a hardened soldier could have eyes like that!'

Drawing her blade she didn't hesitate to rush him. She wasn't out for blood, but she wanted to test his swordsmanship. After all in this day and age true swordsman were far and few between. Drawing closer she was surprised when he completely vanished from his seated position. Catching the blur that moved behind her, she readjusted her strike and stabbed directly behind her next to her waist. Feeling the contact she turned her head with a condescending smirk, only to have it wiped off her face. Standing behind her with her blade in his bare hand was her new mystery tenant. There was no blood she was met with a challenging stare and right cross.

"You need to be faster than that to wound me." The lax man drawled out. He knew this moment was going to happen eventually and for it to happen this soon was a pleasant surprise. Answering his challenge the land lady picked up her pace. 'Wow her speed is almost like shunpo. Guess I shouldn't be so surprised shinigami, hollows, and quincy all have their own speed techniques.' He could see her charging in hard from his left yet he made no move to dodge.

Watching her blade cleave him from his collar bone to the center of his sternum shocked her to the core. 'I-I didn't mean to kill him! Why didn't he move or defend!?' To answer her question the image of Ichigo disappeared from view, confusing the purple haired woman. Her instincts warned her a second to late as she felt a painful kick land in her back. Had she been less of a warrior the kick might have incapacitated the premier.

"Utsusemi leaves a speed clone." He clarified at the questioning look he received from the recovering sekirei. He knew she wasn't going all out, but she needed to do more then to try and feel him out. If she wasn't going to be serious neither was he.

"Why did you put your sword away!?" Miya demanded from her impromptu sparring partner. At a complete loss as to where his blade vanished to.

"That blade is not meant for frivolous matches. It is only meant to deliver killing blows." He replied back coldly.

"Do you really think you can beat me bare handed Kurosaki-San?" She questioned with anger leaking into her question. She couldn't believe the audacity of this man to push her aside as nothing. Without waiting for a reply she disappeared again feigning to the right and jumping above him coming down with a vertical slash. Once again she was met with nothing but air and a quick sweep of her legs landing her on her back. Opening her eyes wide she moved as his fist drove into the spot where her stomach was milliseconds before. She could feel her blood circulating rapidly with the old excitement of battle, but she wanted a sword fight not this. Sheathing her blade she walked back into the house without an explanation.

* * *

Slightly confused by her actions Ichigo just stayed put. His patience was rewarded when the purple haired land lady walked back out brandishing two bokken. He couldn't help the feral smirk that crossed his face this was what he needed at the moment. Catching the wooden sword that was thrown in his direction he settled into his unorthodox stance, waiting for his opponent to make a move.

Eyeing his stance with the upmost scrutiny she almost scoffed at all the holes it presented. 'Maybe he's not as experienced as I thought he was.' Once again charging in, she was stonewalled as their blades connected 'WOW he's strong!' Stepping into him and adjusting her center of gravity she was able to push him back, only for him to release the pressure on her blade and twist behind her landing a vicious strike across her back. Never one to back down she didn't hesitate after the blow and delivered two of her own one to his kneecap and the other to the wrist of his sword arm making him lose his grip on the wooden blade. Smiling at the sting and numbing sensation in his right hand he rolled retrieving his blade in the other hand. Unlike most sword wielders Ichigo was truly ambidextrous and just as deadly with both hands.

She scowled when he brandished the bokken with his off hand and seemed to pressure her even harder with it. She let out a loud 'OOF' when she received the handle in her stomach when she attempted an overhand slash. Losing her temper she let out some of her power and let an invisible shock wave leap off the end of the practice sword. She inwardly smirked when he was caught off guard and knocked into a tree. She was on him in an instant kicking him in the chest knocking him back to the ground. Her victory was short lived when she heard him quietly chant.

"Hado 4, Byakurai" pointing his index finger directly at the infuriating female, a pale bolt of the lightning shot forth striking her in the shoulder and blowing a small hole clean through. He was pissed at her for the cheap shot, he was under the assumption this was a pure Zanjutsu match. If she wanted to use power he could as well. Seeing the look of shock on her face from being wounded he immediately took the initiative and kicked the sword out of her hands before elbowing her in the jaw.

Staring up at him from the flat of her back she just nodded her head at the unanswered question, she yielded this round to him. Slightly shocked when he offered her a hand up with a smile, she couldn't help but smile back at him. 'That was actually incredibly enjoyable!' she mentally cheered, even though outwardly she winced when she tried to stretch her wounded shoulder.

"Shit! Sorry about that Asama-San I got a little carried away." The transcendent stated scrunching up his nose as he examined the wound. He may have not been as impressive as Orihime when it came to healing people, but he knew enough for a wound like this. Focusing his power into the palm of his hand it started to glow a bright green as he advanced on the wounded woman.

Staring at him warily as he walked towards her with a glowing hand. She had to admit she was nervous about the situation, after witnessing what the power from that same hand could do. She almost lashed out at him when he slid the top of her outfit off her shoulder, but looking at his closed eyes and concentration etched into his face she stopped herself. After a few moments the pain started to fade and the feeling started to return to her fingertips of her right hand. Closing her eyes she tried once more to read his power. To her delight she could catch an echo of it in her body. Power so much power could be felt through their contact. She had confidence in her own might, but he was on a completely different level. She could feel a large source of light inside of him, but under that was a primal darkness. To her surprise there was no turmoil as they both seemed to be in perfect sync with each other. 'What are you Kurosaki-San?' snapping her eyes open at the sound of his voice, she focused back in on his face catching the small smile on it.

* * *

"There that should do it. There might be a small scar, but if you want Orihime can get rid of it for you." He stated offering her a hand up.

"Thank you for healing me." The miko stated in a soft voice. She was impressed by his battle prowess, but the gentleness of his healing had her mind racing for answers. Seeing him nod his head at the appreciative statement, she motioned for them to take a seat on the back porch.

"Would you like some tea Kurosaki-San?" the purple haired woman offered.

"No thank you. I'm okay at the moment." He declined resting his back against one of the posts that supported the overhanging roof. He had a one knee up while the other hung over the edge staring into the horizon at the rising sun.

Miya smiled at the peaceful and comfortable visage he displayed.

"Kurosaki-San may I ask what you are. I could feel traces of your power when you were healing me and I find myself confused by it. It came back as both good and evil." The calm landlord asked. A slight shiver raced down her spine at the residual power that had yet to subside in her system.

He really didn't like this question, it had been asked far more then he would prefer. 'Can't people just categorize me as Ichigo and leave it at that. Why is it that I have to be labeled by my genetic make-up?'

He couldn't blame her though as an anomaly he was met with skepticism everywhere he went.

"Sure, but can we go somewhere more private? You never know who might be listening after all." The spikey haired man offered. He was happy that she was giving him a chance after their rocky start. 'Who would've thought it would only take kicking each other's ass for us to get along.' He chuckled internally at that thought, 'I'm really not sure how many of my close friendships started with a fight.'

Nodding her head in compliance she motioned for him to follow her. Leading the way through Izumo Inn she made her way to one place she was sure no one would be listening in, her bedroom. She was slightly nervous about the answers she would receive.

Walking into her bedroom he smiled it was slightly larger than the other rooms, with colorful wall hangings and a few pictures. One caught his attention in particular it was of Miya and a white haired man who appeared to be in his twenties, they were holding hands a smiling at the camera. He was a little shocked by the smile on Miya's face, it made all the ones he's seen so far seem extremely forced and faked. It clicked in his mind where he had seen the other man before, his picture was on the small shrine set up in one of the rooms. 'That explains the sadness I felt in her blade.' Tearing his eyes away from the photo he turned to his companion.

* * *

"Where would you like me to start?" he asked deciding to comply with her questions. He made himself comfortable by sitting down and leaning against a wall.

"Wherever you want, I'm only interested in what you are, your past is your private business." She clarified softly for him. She had seen the way he looked at her husband's picture and was pretty sure he had pieced it together already. The slight look of pain that crossed his face intrigued her slightly, in that moment she could tell he sympathized with her loss.

Smiling at the older woman for her tact on the subject he decided to put it bluntly for her.

"I'm a mix of three things as far as I know. My humanity I get from my mother, the good you felt came from my father, and the evil was a byproduct of a training accident." He started stealing a glance at the purple haired woman. "Technically I could be called a Visored, which is the combination of a Shinigami and a Hollow. That name isn't quite accurate though since I'm still alive."

Her mind was spinning at the statement, she had heard of Shinigami in legend only. 'Gods of Death is what they are also referred to as. Could he really be part god? What is a hollow though I don't think I have ever heard of them.'

"What is a hollow Kurosaki-San? I have heard of Shinigami, but I only considered them to be legend."

Taking a deep breath he ruffled his spikey locks before starting. 'Well there's no turning back now.'

"Hollows are a race of creatures which are born from Human souls who, for various reasons, do not cross over to Soul Society after their death and stay in the Human World for too long. They are corrupt spirits with supernatural powers which devour the souls of both living and deceased Humans. I gained the power of the hollows when I partially transformed into one. I was trying to regain my lost powers to save a friend from an unjust death. It is very common that Shinigami are only considered to be legend they go to great lengths to ensure that it is kept that way. As protectors of human souls, hollows are their primary enemy, along with anything that would disrupt the balance between the realms. Until recent years it was considered taboo to associate with living souls." He finished with a sigh telling others about himself was always difficult, it went against everything in his nature.

"If it was considered taboo why did your father, who I am assuming is a Shinigami, have relations with your mother?"

"Love, he met her on a mission to the human world and said it was love at first sight. He abandoned everything he knew to stay with her, going as far as faking his own death." He finished with a small smile it was a trait that he dearly admired about his old man, even though he could be childish as hell he always followed his heart.

Looking at the small smile and faraway look, she could see traces of longing and sadness hiding behind his eyes.

"What happened to your mother Ichigo?" dropping the formalities was almost mandatory for such a personal question. The look of grief that flashed across his face let her know that she had assumed correctly in that his mother was no longer alive. She knew she shouldn't have asked such a personal question, so she tried to retract it.

"I'm sorry you don't have to answer that. I have no right to pry I…"

"It's okay, I've come to terms with her loss. It took time and still hurts, but I can openly talk about it. I could always see spirits from a young age, but I had a hard time telling them apart from normal people." He paused heaving a heavy sigh before revealing his greatest regret. "When I was nine my mother and I were walking home from one of my karate practices. The weather had been incredibly nasty all week and the river was swollen and moving much quicker than normal. I spotted a girl about my age dangerously close to the edge, so I took off from my mother's side to save her. It was all a trap though, set up by a particularly nasty hollow that used bait to draw in strong souls. I never seen the monster and only remember waking up with my mother laying on top of me covered in blood. She died to protect me and lost her soul to the hollow in the process. I later met the same hollow in combat, but was unable to defeat it at the time. I always wanted to track it down to release my mother's soul. Later I learned that my old man had dealt retribution to the bastard and freed the love of his life." He finished with his gaze fixed at the wall seemingly staring right through it.

With her eyes closed Miya was at a loss for words 'He really does understand the pain of loss. The guilt alone must have ate away at him, it seems he still considers it his fault.' Opening her eyes she studied the young man before her, she didn't see the brash young man she couldn't trust or the warrior that she slightly feared. She only seen the little boy inside him that lost something precious to him. She was extremely happy that he allowed her a peek inside of who he truly was and she had to admit she was impressed with his perseverance.

"Are you hungry Ichigo? I can go fix us breakfast while you go take a bath and relax." The purple haired woman offered with a warm smile that rivaled her old smile from the photo. She also needed a bath, but that could be done after they ate she justified. Honestly she wanted some time to herself to dwell on her new knowledge.

"Yeah that sounds great. I really appreciate it Miya." He replied back coming out of his slight daze. A relaxing bath sounded amazing at the moment and a breakfast waiting after sealed the deal for him.

* * *

Watching the two part ways in the hallway peeked Matsu's curiosity. 'I really wish I had put a camera in Miya's room now. She probably would've cut my eyes out for doing it though. I wonder what was said they seem to be at peace around each other.' After watching their sparring session she had no guilt in admitting that she was terrified of the tall man. She would never have believed that someone could manhandle number 01 in such a way. 'Aww, I bet Miya got to experiment with him. I'm kind of jealous about that.' Shaking that thought away she knew that Miya was still deeply in love with her late husband and no one would ever replace him. Seeing Kagari and Ichigo talking she turned on her microphones to hear them.

"You must be the new tenant that Miya was telling me about. My name is Kagari it's nice to finely meet you Kurosaki-San." The fire user introduced himself offering his hand for a handshake.

"Same to you. It's pretty early must be a light sleeper as well." The powerful Visored replied accepting the proffered hand in greeting.

"It's either early or late depending on your perception. I work as a host at a club so I'm just getting in for the night." The silver haired man replied with a chuckle. On the outside he was calm and collected, but being around the man he seen hang Minaka off a building had him nervous.

"Wow, that's a crazy work schedule I won't keep you then. It was nice to meet you Kagari." The orange haired stated before turning and continuing his journey to the bath.

"Likewise Kurosaki-San, see ya around."

Slipping into the bath he let a low groan pass his lips. He had to find a place that had a bath this size he decided. The one at home couldn't compare to this one where he actually had room to stretch out his long legs. He was slightly pissed when he heard the door open, he just hoped he wasn't bothered too much with the intrusion. Feeling the other person slip in the bath he didn't need to crack his eyes open to know who it was as they curled into his side. 'It could only be Orihime, Uzume would have started teasing me as soon as she entered.' To confirm his suspicions he opened his eyes catching a glimpse of the unique hair color, he knew he was correct. Neither spoke a word just rested in the comfortable silence. He really did feel like the luckiest man in the world to have the love his two sekirei so freely offered to him. Pulling her onto his lap to hold her closer while resting his chin on top of her head he closed his eyes. Diving into his past always left him in a shitty mood 'Maybe she felt that and that's why she came in here?'

When she finally woke up after an hour of Ichigo's absence she started to look for him. She knew he was close when she finally heard his voice on the other side of the landlady's door. It was quiet, but she could make out the conversation easily. The story of his mother was always heart breaking to the gentle healer. Not wanting to be found eavesdropping she scampered down the hall when she heard them getting up. The bright haired girl waited for him to get in the bath before she decided to make her entrance. Spotting him with his eyes closed she smiled sadly at his visage, she could feel the turmoil in his heart. Wanting to offer him comfort she slid in the tub beside him and tucked herself into his side. She was a little shocked at being pulled into his lap, but welcomed the intimacy. With her head resting against his broad chest she let his steady heartbeat sooth her worries. 'He has the strongest heart I have ever known.' Even though he couldn't see she smiled for him anyway.

"I really love you Ichigo-Kun." Her eyes snapped open when the supposed to be thought formed words and left her mouth. 'Damn you blue men! I didn't mean to say that out loud yet!' She knew Ichigo was a man that preferred to let his actions speak louder than words, but when he didn't react at all she started to panic a little bit.

"I love you too, but you really don't have to say it I can feel it." The young man responded after a few torturous seconds. Giving her kiss on the top of the head he closed his eyes once again.

"I know you can, but it's still nice to hear right?" number 90 replied she was thrilled that her little slip didn't seem to have any ill effects.

"Yes it is" he confirmed squeezing her closer to him

"Would you two knock it off." A sleepy looking brunette yawned out as she climbed in with the two teens. Taking up a position next to Ichigo and letting Orihime drape her legs over her lap, the busty number 10 rested her head on her ashikabi's shoulder.

"Morning Uzume." The two greeted the new arrival.

"Yeah yeah I wish you two would sleep in longer. I'm not really a morning person you know." The veil user mumbled out. She wasn't lazy but sleeping in was definitely a guilty pleasure of hers. With her complaint made she continued.

"So what's on the agenda for the day?"

"Well a spar with Miya gave me some inspiration this morning. I think it's time I start training you two in combat with the help of some friends of course." Ichigo calmly stated. Feeling Orihime stiffen in his lap he knew she caught on to exactly where they would be training. Uzume also bolted upright but not in response to the training.

"Hold on! You and Miya were sparring this morning!" she squeaked turning to face her love. 'How the hell did we sleep through that! I'm going to have to see Matsu I know she has it on tape!'

"Yes we did, it was actually a lot of fun." The lone male replied back nonchalantly. Reluctantly removing his second sekirei from his lap he stood to leave. "I'm going to eat breakfast, but don't screw around too much we're going to be leaving in an hour or two."

* * *

Watching their mate leave the bathing area both women sported appreciative looks for their chosen one. Turning her head to scrutinize the other woman, the auburn haired girl couldn't help but feel a little anger towards her. After all she spent years trying to get Ichigo to notice her, and this person made it happen in a matter of days.

"Why did you have to pick Ichigo-Kun as your ashikabi?" the younger female huffed out. This was something she needed to know. Most girls that showed him interest were only after his looks or the power that he wielded. They usually never had a clue about the man he truly was.

"He helped save someone that is very dear to me, and after being around him for a short amount of time I could tell that there was more to him than just a delinquent. He has a very gentle and kind heart that he rarely shows to others, I just happened to be lucky enough to see it. Plus the fact that he is smoking hot helps." She finished with a giggle, she wasn't surprised at the question given Ichigo's past with her co-sekirei.

'Well her heart is in the right place can't really hold a grudge for that.' The frustrated teen huffed she really didn't want to share him with anyone.

"I can't say that I like the idea of sharing him with you, but it can't be helped. If you try to steal anymore of his firsts it will cause a problem between us!" the usually timid girl challenged with narrowed eyes.

"It really is his choice who he gives his first time to isn't it? Whatever he offers me I will take with a smile and not feel the least bit bad about it Orihime." The usually cheerful woman answered back just as challengingly. She understood the busty teen's predicament she really did, but all is fair in love and war.

"Listen to me Orihime I really do love Ichigo, but I also know that his feelings haven't reached the same level as mine 'yet'." She put extra emphasis on the last part before continuing. "I can feel the love he holds for you, but I can also feel love in his heart for me as well. So I will compromise, when the first time happens it will be shared between all three of us!" the slightly perverted woman cheered as if she had just came up with the best idea in the world. Looking at her co-conspirator she openly snickered at the bright red blush that lit up her cheeks. These were the best times she has had in her life so far, she always had friends but being in a relationship with these two made everything else pale in comparison.

"D-Do you really think he would really agree to that?" The busty healer stammered out. She had fantasies about being with Ichigo before, but never with another woman present. It just seemed so naughty to her, but at the same time kind of enticing. Her mouth formed a small 'o' as she drifted off into her imagination. "We'll have to be careful with the hot sauce!" she blurted out randomly staring at the other woman with bright sparkly eyes.

"W-What the hell are you talking about!? There's no way in hell we're using hot sauce during that!" Uzume shouted back in complete confusion, 'maybe I should retract that offer, she may very well be insane.'

* * *

-Dining Room-

Ichigo just sat in a comfortable silence rubbing the bridge of his nose. He couldn't make out what they were saying, but they were definitely causing a ruckus in the bathroom. He kind of felt bad for Kagari trying to sleep through this.

"Well they sure are lively in the morning." Miya giggled as she put down the remaining food on the table. She was starting to really enjoy the upbeat atmosphere that the young adults brought into the Inn. Looking at the man across from her, her smile widened marginally. After getting to know him better he really was a great person. 'Takehito would have liked him I'm sure of it. He really does care for his sekirei like a good ashikabi should.'

"Yeah I guess they are." He chuckled taking his hand away from his face. "Their probably excited because I'm going to be starting their training later today."

Raising an eyebrow at his statement she had to respect that he was taking the situation seriously.

"If you need any assistance I would be glad to help." The premier offered

"I really appreciate that Miya, but I have the same people who trained me lined up or them." He really did appreciate the offer, but he believed in Yoruichi and Urahara's training methods. 'I mean after only ten days he turned me from a rookie into a halfway competent soldier.'

"Really, okay then." She shrugged "I really would like to meet the ones that trained you someday. Are they as powerful as you?"

"In terms of raw power I'm unique, I can think of only one man that might be able to match me in that aspect." The image of the attack Yama-ji tried to trap Aizen with crossed his mind. "They make up for that drawback with experience and skill though. There are several individuals that can give me a run for my money." He finished thinking of several Taicho that would be an immense challenge. Their conversation was interrupted by the arrival of the two other bathers.

"Wow breakfast looks really good Miya-San. You really should let me cook for you someday you would really enjoy my cooking!" the quicksilver eyed girl exclaimed.

"Thank you, Orihime. Maybe I will take you up on that someday." The purple haired woman replied back. Sneaking a glance at Ichigo she caught a look that conveyed 'For the love of all of our stomachs don't take her up on that!' giggling at his dismay she continued, "Ichigo was just telling me about some training that you guys are going to be doing. From the sounds of it it's going to be quite difficult."

"W-What do you mean by that! What exactly are we going to be doing!" the dismayed 10th blurted out. She didn't mind a little exercise, but she preferred to just go off her natural talent.

"I'm not really sure, I'm only going to be helping. The regimen is going to be put together by the people that trained me." He replied scratching his cheek thoughtfully. He had no doubt that they were really going to hate this. He almost wanted to pull out a fan and wave at their paled faces after that revelation. He mentally kicked himself for the idea of acting like Geta-Boshi.

"Miya-San your cheek is starting to really bruise." The brunette noticed getting a good look at her land lady. She also noticed a split lip and the way she shifted trying to get comfortable. 'Probably has bruises elsewhere too.'

Reaching her hand up, she winced slightly when she touched the tender flesh. 'He really does have a hell of a right hand on him.'

"It's fine me and Ichigo kind of got carried away during our spar this morning." She casually stated. She didn't want to admit it, but he pushed her harder than anyone else ever had.

"Ichigo-Kun that's not very nice. Please let me fix it for you Miya-San." The kind hearted girl offered after slightly admonishing her ashikabi. She huffed when he just shrugged it off and kept eating.

"It's okay really Orihime, it's not that painful." She stated dismissing the offer, looking at the girl pout she caved. "If it will make you feel better then fine go ahead." Looking at the bright smile that lite up the other woman's face she scowled, slightly feeling like she had been played. When she was enveloped by the golden dome she was astonished. All the pain in her body started to ebb away and the bruising was replaced with unmarred supple skin.

"Wow that is impressive Orihime!" the brunette exclaimed she was already calculating what an ability like that could mean to them in the game. 'We could be indestructible.'

"Heh heh it's really not that special!" she replied back waving her hands frantically in front of her out of embarrassment. She knew that her powers were wonderful, but like her ashikabi she didn't handle praise all that well.

Nudging her in the side with his elbow to draw her attention, he smiled at her when she finally looked his way.

"You really are amazing don't let anyone tell you differently." The Visored stated pulling her into a one armed hug, making a bright blush stain her cheeks.

'There he goes being all perfect again' the Rikka user thought as she stared at the love of her life with her heart in her eyes.

"He's right by the way that was amazing. It's a shame that Minaka broadcast your abilities to every ashikabi in the city." The older miko stated 'putting such a wonderful girl at risk, no wonder Ichigo almost killed him.'

* * *

"Speaking of that piece of shit. I need to call him before we leave." The lone male groused as he retrieved his phone from his pocket. Pulling up his number from his recent calls list he hit the send button. When a picture popped up he inwardly groaned talking to him was bad enough, but seeing him made his violent nature twitch.

"Ah, Kurosaki-San I didn't expect to hear from you so soon!" the strange man exclaimed pulling out a pure white fan and holding it in front of his face (Much too the transcendent's annoyance).

He couldn't help the involuntary tick in his eye at the sight. 'I can't believe he is actually copying Kisuke.'

"What the hell are you doing with that!?" The instantly angered man barked out. He already had Kisuke in his life he didn't really need another fan wielder to annoy him.

"Don't be so harsh, you called me remember if you can't behave I'm just going to hang up!" The eccentric man goaded. He knew the orange haired man was dangerous, but he just couldn't help himself.

"Fine, but please put the fan down at least. I called in accordance to our agreement, I'm taking Orihime and Uzume to Karakura to begin training them for the game. When does it start by the way?" the muscular man stated in a calm voice.

"Oh but it has already started! The first stage won't be complete until ninety percent of the little birds have received their wings though. By my calculations you have about three weeks before the second stage commences. So you're going to be training them, hmm that could be interesting do you mind if I watch?" the white haired man questioned laying his fan on his desk.

"Yes I do. My training is a private matter that is why we are going to Karakura in the first place." He replied casually. He wouldn't give this man the satisfaction of knowing how much he hated him.

"Well that's too bad. I will call you if anything changes." The crazy bastard stated ending the connection.

"You really should have killed him when you had the chance." Miya absently stated. It may have pissed her off yesterday when he attacked the president, but now that she knew where his heart lied she couldn't blame him.

"I intended to, but he said the sekirei would self-terminate if he died before the game ended." The agitated teen sighed out. "Enough about that it's time to get going we'll see ya in a couple weeks Miya."

With that he opened his garganta startling Miya in the process. Even though Orihime has seen this technique many times it still left an unsettling feeling of dread in her stomach. Glancing at Uzume she noticed the same reaction to the black gaping maw.

"Don't worry you two I will go slowly. Just stay close to me." He reassured offering them each a hand. After gripping tightly to his hands the threesome jumped in before the pathway snapped shut.

'He really is interesting.' With that thought the land lady decided to go for her own bath and start her day.

* * *

-Karakura Town Urahara Shoten-

Landing in the underground training area brought a smile to his face. No matter how many times he came here it reminded him of the first time. All the years of blood, sweat, and tears shed down here bonded this place to his heart. Looking at the occupants waiting for him he inwardly groaned. Not only were Geta-Boshi and Goat-Chin there, but Yoruichi was as well. He knew she was going to be involved in the training, but he wanted to delay the teasing from her at all costs. He was slightly surprised when he went unnoticed as the three individuals walked up to Orihime giving her a hug each. Each stating their happiness that she was unharmed. That all stopped when the dark skinned woman moved the young sekirei's bright hair to the side and tugged the top of her shirt down slightly, revealing her Sekirei symbol.

"Oh Ichigo you were meant to go retrieve Orihime, not enter into a life contract with her. So many women in the Seireitei are going to be disappointed by the news that you are taken." The flash goddess stated in a disappointed and condescending voice as if she were admonishing a child. Looking to the other female she smirked. "Well maybe they won't be so mad if you let them join the harem you're starting. Nice work with this one by the way she is quite the looker."

"W-What the hell are you going on about I'm not starting a harem you perverted were-cat!" The most powerful man in three dimensions stuttered out.

"Uh-huh sure you're not first this beauty and then the lovely Orihime such an animal Ichigo. And I thought you were completely gay after all the times you turned me down." The ex-assassin pouted at him cutely.

"Wha- why I'm not gay you bitch. W-Why the hell would you even say that." He couldn't wrap his head around that logic at all.

"Obviously because you always turned down pretty girls that hit on you. It made you look really, really gay. I think Rukia and Soi-Fon were the only ones that bet you were straight." His old man added just to jump on the pile.

"Yes, those two are going to be quite happy when they receive their winnings. I think it was paying off at a hundred to one that you were hetro." Kisuke added hiding his smile behind his fan. He truly loved these moments when Ichigo got flustered like the teenager that he was. He appreciated the more mature Ichigo, but he needed to act his age once in a while.

Hearing giggling behind him he turned to see his sekirei with their hands over their mouths trying to stifle their laughter. Scowling at them he turned his attention back to the other three in the room. Each of the bastards were holding in their own levels of laughter he wanted to run at the moment or at least beat something to a pulp. Going with the latter option he summoned Tensa Zangetsu glaring at the man in the bucket hat and the bearded one.

"Whoa whoa hold on Ichigo we were only kidding with you!" his father quickly pleaded. He was actually intimidated by his young son and wanted to keep breathing to be able to tease him in the future. He also knew Ichigo was a sore sport when people ganged up on him to tease him. He just knew this was going to be a painful lesson if the look his son was giving him was an indication.

"No pleading is going to work, besides I need the exercise so you two with me." He commanded pointing his blade at the two other men in the room. Turning to his girls he gave each of them a kiss and told them good luck. Turning to the golden eyed beauty he asked.

"Please be careful not to kill them, but I want you to push them to the brink."

"Are you sure about that Ichigo." The hell cat asked with a raised eyebrow. Receiving a nod in confirmation, she turned her attention back to the younger females who both gulped in unison.

'WE'

'ARE'

'FUCKED'

They both thought at the same time. Even though Uzume didn't know the other woman, she knew that she was Ichigo's trainer and that was enough to make her want to flee. The request of her ashikabi made her seriously reconsider the life choices she's made. Looking to Orihime for support was a bad idea she had a look of absolute terror carved into her face.

Across the training ground he heard the first scream of pain that undoubtedly came from Orihime. Losing his nerve he started to dash in their direction only to have two sets of hands latch onto him with iron grips.

"LET ME FUCKING GO!" he screamed at his captives. His heart was breaking at the fear that flooded his body.

"No, now calm down! This is why you brought them here! You knew you wouldn't have the nerve to push them past their limits! You asked for our help to do that now stop and let Yoruichi work!" his old man commanded throwing his son into a cliff that jutted from the ground. He hated the idea to begin with. He felt the very same way when he asked Kisuke to train him when he was fifteen. He couldn't count how many times he wanted to charge in and put an end to it. His son had to stay strong like he did and trust his mentors. Drawing his Engetsu he began the attack on his son.

"Getsuga Tensho" the eldest Kurosaki roared as he fired his signature technique at the powerful hybrid.

"Awaken, Benihime" following Isshin's logic the shop keeper knew they were going to have to keep Ichigo busy. This was as much training for him as the other two, he wasn't one to sit on the side lines and that was what he needed to learn how to do.

* * *

-Shinto Tower-

The super-genius sat at his computer endlessly trying to crack Urahara's encryption that blocked him out. The whole process was maddening, he had never seen technology like this man used. Looking up from his screen he noticed Takami walk into his office.

"Why hello Takami dear! I heard our son Minato has failed the entrance exam for the second time! For having so much potential he is an extraordinarily ordinary person isn't he!" the game master exclaimed.

"Don't talk about 'MY' son that way you bastard." The white haired female growled out, "And why am I getting reports that you sent the Discipline Squad to Karakura to spy on Kurosaki? You really are trying to get yourself killed by him aren't you?"

A/N: Thanks for all the reviews, favs, and follows. Now I know I strayed from cannon material when I explained Ichigo's genetics (Like his mother only being human and the origin of his hollow) but for the sake of the story I'm not adding any of the recent revelations from the Manga. For those of you that might complain about Miya landing some shots on Ichigo, you have to remember she is quite powerful and a master swordsman in her own right. And yay Minato is about to make his appearance soon! Hope you enjoyed the chapter.


	9. Chapter 9

It had been three hours since Orihime's and Uzume's training started. He could tell that they were running on fumes, but having Yoruichi as an instructor made that fact obsolete. If she knew you had more in the tank she would keep pushing until you burned out and if you tried to hold back she would punish you severely for it. He was thankful that his dad and Geta-Boshi stopped him from interfering, he knew this is what they needed.

Watching his former pupil observe the training intensely, he could admit that he was proud of him. He knew it took enormous restraint from Ichigo to sit and watch. On several occasions he noted slight twitches from the young man, where he was actually going to jump down to protect his sekirei.

"I'm glad that you listened to reason and are letting them train uninterrupted." Urahara stated while taking a seat next to the orange haired warrior.

"Tch, it's not like you and Goat-Chin gave me much of a choice now did you?" he replied back casually. They may have had experience on him, but he still managed to kick their asses. It wasn't easy by any means, Isshin was built like a brick wall and a glutton for punishment, while Urahara's precision and elusiveness made him almost impossible to land a hit on. Together they were an incredibly efficient team. When you tried to fight Isshin with strength, the shop keep would pick you apart. Try and lay back to focus on Urahara and you had a bull hot on your heels.

"I guess we didn't." he chuckled back, "You didn't have to be so rough though, I think you may have broken your father's leg."

"He'll be fine." Ichigo shrugged before stiffening as Uzume cried out.

"Calm down, right now they need you to have confidence in them and be there to support them." The eccentric man stated putting a hand on his shoulder in comfort. "Just as you can feel their fear, I'm sure they can also feel yours. It won't help them to advance. If they know you have confidence in them they will push themselves harder and gain their own."

"Yeah you're right as usual asshole. Where is my old man anyway?"

"Not usually Ichigo, I am always right!" Kisuke replied back dodging a swipe from his companion. "Isshin left a little while ago to check up on your sisters and fix his leg."

Falling into a comfortable banter with Urahara always put him at ease. It was short lived though as the phone in the blonde haired man's pocket started to ring. Pulling it out the man gained a thoughtful expression, before turning back to his student.

"It seems MBI sent someone to keep an eye on you Ichigo. Don't worry though they will never be able to track you down here. Minaka does know about my shop though, so it's only logical that they would check here." He mused while rubbing his chin in thought. It was a risky move by the game master, to offer Ichigo space while trying to keep him on a leash at the same time. He could see the gears turning in his apprentices' eyes, he knew he was pissed.

"Oi Geta-Boshi, I'm going to need you to look into something for me."

"Would it happen to be the problem of the Sekirei dying if Minaka does?" He replied back knowingly. He had already looked into it of course, but was unable to find a definitive answer.

* * *

Seeing as Kisuke knew what he wanted he dropped down the rock face they were perched on. Walking up to his sekirei, who were collapsed on the ground taking a quick breather, he kneeled next to them.

"You two are doing great. I'm going to leave for a little bit, keep listening to Yoruichi and I will see ya when I get back." He reassured moving the sweat dampened bangs out of the brunette's eyes.

"Y-you're a damn sadist! What are you trying to teach us!? How to get our asses handed to us repeatedly!" she screeched out bating her ashikabi's hand away from her head.

Not taking offence to her reaction he just turned his sights on his other girl. Orihime didn't even seem to notice that he was there. She just seemed to be content laying completely still with her eyes closed. Laying his hand on her cheek, he offered her a smile when she opened her eyes. Just like with Uzume she seemed to rebuke his touch.

She admonished herself for jerking away from Ichigo, but three hours of being slammed around left her wary of others. Unlike Uzume she knew that this training was going to be intense, after the war she often watched her ashikabi train with Yoruichi. Pushing herself up in a seated position with a slight groan, she snagged his hand before he pulled it away. She was happy to see him smile at her actions.

"Where are you going?" she asked pulling him down next to her. She knew he was trying to be evasive and leave something out.

Looking her in the eye he knew that she already figured out that something important had come up. Readjusting himself into a more comfortable position, he decided to tell them.

"The idiot sent some people to Karakura, probably to spy on us. I'm just going to see what exactly it is that they want." Seeing the healer start to stand, he gently put a hand on her shoulder to keep her in place. "Not this time Orihime, I can handle this on my own. Plus from the looks of it, Yoruichi is not through with you guys yet."

Hearing both of them groan at his statement he inwardly laughed. He could definitely remember all the times he made the same sound training under Yoruichi's dictatorship. Stealing a glance at Uzume he was glad that she wasn't still being standoffish and crawled her way towards the other two.

She wasn't overly surprised to hear that Minaka sent someone to keep an eye on them. Unless she missed her guess it could only be the discipline squad. She might have been scared to death of them, but she could tell by her ashikabi's demeanor that he could give a fuck less. If anything he seemed more pissed at Minaka than the potential danger they presented.

"Just be careful Ichigo, I know you're strong, but they tend to gang up on others." She warned. She had witnessed first-hand the ruthlessness of the trio. Not long after she helped Matsu escape she had a run in with them. It was only sheer luck that she managed to get away from them alive. Receiving a nod in reply she watched him stand and start walking away. She was going to say more until she was interrupted by the tyrant that was her new sensei.

"Alright you two off your asses! You've rested long enough! I'm going to be generous and give you a hint you need to work on your team-work if you want to land a hit on me! Today's training doesn't end until you accomplish that!" With her challenge made the flash goddess disappeared grabbing Orihime and tossing her into Uzume.

* * *

Climbing up the stairs he felt his worry being slowly replaced by pride. 'If they can make it through her training not many will be able to challenge them.'

"Finally done comforting your girlfriends? Well I would say that it is about time that you got your ass out there and welcomed our guests. From what I can tell their down by the river not far from here." Kisuke instructed while staring at the screen on his cell phone. He was half tempted to go himself, but he wanted to be on guard to delay any others that may pop up, be it hollow or shinigami.

Seeing him fiddling with his phone gave Ichigo the idea to make his own call. Walking out of the shop he hit the send button. He really hated talking to this man, he just knew it would give him a headache. Just like before a live feed connected, prompting a face palm from the hybrid. This time instead of a fan Minaka was wearing a pure white bucket hat. He was unsure if it was the man's attempt at humor, to piss him off, or if he was just trying to get into a similar state of mind as Kisuke. Either way it made him look ridiculous (well even more so).

"What the hell are you wearing that for? You look like a complete ass."

"Really? I thought I was pulling it off quite nicely! I wonder if you insult your friend the same way, you're incredibly rude you know?" He replied pulling a fan from his inner pocket. He was right about the fan he found it incredibly entertaining to add into his usual antics. The fact that it bothered Takami and Kurosaki was just a bonus in his opinion.

"Trust me I tell him he looks like a dumbass all the time, he just chooses not to believe me. I'm sure you are aware of my reason for calling you. Can you explain to me why there are three other Sekirei in Karakura?" He asked with an angered edge to his voice.

"They're there for surveillance of course! When I agreed that you were free to leave as you pleased, I never said you would be without a chaperone or chaperones in this case." The game keeper replied in an even voice. He mentally scoffed at the idea of this child thinking he could do as he pleased. 'This is my game and even with this anomaly it will proceed as planned!' He knew taking Ichigo on in a physical sense was suicide and beating him mentally wouldn't be that hard if he could get Urahara out of the way. So he sent Karasuba and her lackeys to get some useful information from the town. He wanted to go himself, but the prospect of meeting the powerhouse face to face made it unappealing.

"I'm giving you the option to pull them out or have their heads on pikes placed in front of Teito Tower. As Kisuke already said Karakura is off-limits to you and MBI." This was no mere passing threat, he was dead serious. 'This town has been the host of enough battles. I refuse to let another one ensue.'

"Hmm I will think about it. Can I ask why that town is under such heavy protection and do you really think you can force MBI to do anything you see fit?" He answered back just as sharply. He came to terms with his physical might, but if he thought that MBI was going to bend to his every beck and call he had another thing coming.

"Politically probably not, but I will bring that tower down on top of you if you refuse to curb your curiosity." Ichigo returned with narrowed eyes. He knew it was a semi-bluff and there was no way for him to do that without drawing unwanted attention.

"I think your bluffing!" he sing songed at him. "I think whoever you work for would be upset if you were to cause that kind of damage!"

"You'd be surprised at the lengths they would go to stop a threat. Last chance before I go eradicate your dogs." He warned. He really didn't feel like killing a sekirei if they were like the ones he's met so far, but for the safety of Karakura he wouldn't think twice about it.

"It's going to be harder than you would think. They are extremely eager to meet you after your last visit to Teito Tower, Karasuba especially. I will make the call if you do me a favor and at least go meet them." He knew that he had Natsuo lined up to be their ashikabi, but if they reacted to Kurosaki things would get extremely interesting.

"Fine, no need to give me their location I know where they are." Hanging up on the so called genius he casually made his way towards the river.

* * *

"How the hell are we supposed to find them!? That asshole Minaka didn't give us jack shit for information!" The Red Sekirei complained. Honestly she didn't give a fuck about this Kurosaki guy or anything else that Minaka wanted. Beating on Minaka didn't exactly impress her, 'Like pounding on that pansy is hard!'

"Maybe if we started a commotion he would come find us?" Haihane considered out loud. It was a solid plan in her opinion. She kind of wanted to see what all the fuss was about this man, 'Hell he's even peeked Karasubas' interest.'

"I don't think that will be necessary. From the way Minaka makes him sound he probably already knows that we are here." Karasuba replied running a hand through her grey hair. 'This asshole better be worth the hassle!' she pondered while taking a seat on the embankment near the river. Watching her subordinates follow her lead, she sighed taking in Haihane's appearance. While she knew that she wasn't low key carrying a sword, she could somewhat blend in. The Blue Sekirei on the other hand stuck out like a sore thumb, people were always wary of a person wearing giant claws and a choker. 'At least Benitsubasa can pass as normal.' Seeing a mop of orange hair crossing the bridge she smiled to herself, there was no doubt who that unique head of hair belonged to. Standing up and brushing the grass from her haori, she caught the questioning glances from her two companions. Pointing her sword to the bridge she answered them.

"Told ya he already knew we were here. Not even in town an hour and he picked up our presence."

The other two were slightly intrigued by the note of happiness in their superior's statement. Getting a better look at the man as he made his way towards them, they both could admit that his presence was intimidating. The way he moved screamed confidence and indomitability.

"I already spoke with the idiot and he informed that you would be leaving here soon." He announced as he got close enough to the trio. Hearing a snicker at his comment he turned his attention to the source of the laughter. Taking in her appearance he couldn't help but comment.

"Well aren't you a grim looking sekirei? Definitely intimidating in appearance." Seeing her smile he continued, "You seem to have a pretty upbeat attitude though. That's quite the contradiction." He finished stuffing his hands in his pockets taking a casual stance.

"We never received an order like that and don't think we are going to take orders from some monkey!" Benitsubasa barked out. In her mind it was decided she was going to kick this guy's ass, his blasé attitude was infuriating. Seeing him tilt his head to the side questioningly she asked.

"WHAT! Why are you looking at me like you're mentally challenged?!"

"I was just confused am I the monkey or Minaka?" rubbing his chin in thought he continued, "Last time I seen him he was more like a scared puppy than a monkey, but whatever you want to call him is fine." He finished shrugging his shoulders. He laughed internally when rage started playing across her face. At times like this he didn't mind taking a few tricks from Kisuke, getting under peoples skin was always entertaining.

"YOU'RE BOTH FUCKING MONKEYS! EVERYONE IN YOUR DAMN SPECIES ARE MONKEYS COMPARED TO US!" she roared losing her patience she charged forward intending to crush the man's sternum for his cheeky banter. Feeling the impact she was confused by it. She knew she hit him hard enough to shatter bones, but he didn't even budge. Tilting her head up, she stared at the unimpressed look in his eyes.

"Don't do that again. This town is not a part of the game and I will not allow fighting here." He stated in a tone that left no room for argument. Feeling the pinkette's reiatsu rise in preparation for attack he scowled.

"Extreme Qua…" she started one of her signature attacks only to be cut off by a hand gripping her wrist before it connected with the ground. Slightly wincing as the bones in her wrist creaked in strain, nearing there breaking point. Looking up again she was met with a look that conveyed only death and a painful one at that. Looking to the others with her for help she scowled, Haihane looked ready to laugh at her and Karasuba looked on in intrigue.

"You don't listen for shit do you? I feel sorry for the poor bastard that wings you, sure you're pretty but your personality is complete shit." He stated letting go of her wrist making her stumble back slightly.

"Aww, you hear that he thinks you're pretty even with that wash board chest of yours!" the blue sekirei teased. Even though she was slightly disappointed she didn't react to him, she still found him very entertaining. Teasing Benitsubasa definitely gave him high marks in her book. Looking at their leader she noticed her putting her phone away.

* * *

Watching her subordinates interact with Kurosaki made her sigh. She missed what was said after taking the phone call, but judging by the pissed off look on Benitsubasa's face and Haihane's laughter she could piece it together. 'Seems those two are only serious when the mission pertains to tracking down and killing other sekirei.'

"Seems that Kurosaki-San was right. That was Minaka he wants us back in the capital by nightfall. You two are heading back right now though, I will meet you back at Teito Tower." She knew she was disobeying Minaka, but she honestly didn't give a shit. The object of her obsession was standing right in front of her and she wasn't leaving without a fight.

"That's bullshit we just got her…" their complaint died in their throats catching the deadly glare the older woman was shooting at them. Combined they might have a chance against her, but with the other person there they didn't want to chance drawing his wrath as well. Without another word they just turned and started walking back to the train station. Each had their own thoughts about their first meeting with the highly touted Kurosaki.

'He is an asshole, but he is incredibly strong. I can't believe he could stop my attacks so easily.'

'He lives up to the hype, the look on Benitsubasa's face was priceless when he stopped her attack.'

Watching her teammates disappear into the distance she turned back to Ichigo.

"Unlike those two I'm not leaving without a fight!" she exclaimed drawing her sword, pure bloodlust lite up her eyes. She was startled when he didn't react at all and even more startled by the question he asked.

"Are you the one that saved Orihime after her fight in the park?" receiving a nod he ran a hand through his hair in frustration. He motioned for her to follow him while thinking, 'By the look in her eyes I have to fight her. She's not like Miya though, I don't think a spar will do the trick. I don't feel right about killing her after she helped Orihime.' "Well I guess I should thank you then."

"If you want to thank me quit running your mouth and fight!" she snapped back.

Closing his eyes he made his decision. She would get her fight, but not here. Snapping his fingers he opened a garganta under the bridge away from prying eyes.

"If that's what you want Alice, follow me down the rabbit hole."

* * *

-Shinto Teito-

His life had officially gone out of control. After failing the college entrance exam for the second time, he was left with only one option he had to find work or go back home. If that wasn't bad enough he had a beautiful girl crash into him from out of the sky. He actual didn't mind that the more he thought about it, what he did mind was being chased all over by some girls in bondage outfits trying to fry his ass with lightning. He didn't have a clue what was going on when he woke up with the busty brunette named Musubi half-naked in his apartment. After a second run in with the lightning twins is when his mind started to crash. Musubi seemed to be struggling to catch her breath before kissing him. He nearly fainted when light pink wings erupted from her back. After watching her fight off the two aggressive females he was at a loss for words at her strength.

'Ashikabi that's what she called me. I have no clue what's going on yet, but I really don't want to talk to Minaka again. Especially after he threatened me if I exposed the Sekirei Plan.' The very thought of that man sent a shiver shooting down his spine. Hearing a knock at the door he quickly answered it and almost shut it just as fast. The man looked like a stereotypical henchman from MBI with his dark glasses, cheap suit, and earpiece in his ear. He started to plead his innocence when the man just roughly shoved a box in his hands before leaving.

"I knew you had a girl living here Sahashi-San!" came the accusatory voice of the land lord. Not stopping to let him justify his actions he continued. "I expect you to move out immediately, this place is for singles only!"

He almost wanted to cry at his luck for being so shitty. Watching the short bald bastard walk back down the stairs is when he felt a soft comforting hand grip his shoulder. His mood started to brighten at the smile and optimistic look etched into Musubi's face. 'I can do this! I will find a place for us to stay together.' He thought trying to strengthen his resolve.

* * *

-Teito Tower-

Minaka couldn't help the amusement at intimidating his illegitimate son. In his opinion the boy was all potential with no follow through. 'Maybe being a part of this will give him that push he needs to realize his greatness.' Using this unexpected occurrence to distract himself from the anger he felt about being ignored by the leader of the punishment squad. 'Ever since that damn Kurosaki arrived they are becoming even more insubordinate with each passing day!' To further prompt his anger she was refusing to answer her phone. He was going to try Kurosaki but decided against it, 'I would seem weak if I couldn't even control my employee's.' So there he sat spying on Minato like a creepy bastard, he almost wanted to give the boy a helping hand. He justified that he wouldn't need one, after all Musubi had a MBI credit card with no limit. 'It seems that she has forgotten about it though. Her and number 90 could be two peas in a pod.' He contemplated after witnessing Orihime's rather eccentric behavior and Musubi's extreme naivety. Standing up from his desk he strolled onto the terrace. He felt like a king when he watched over the city from up here.

"Let me tell you a story from a long, long time ago. Gods and goddesses lived in a place called Takama-Ga-Hara. One day a ship with the Gods' treasures came down to earth, and the ship was called Ama-no-Iwafune. But it's an old story. A faded myth not even written in the ancient history books. But the new legend has already begun! One hundred and eight Sekirei have been let out. Sekireis must fight each other for the Ashikabi whom they choose for themselves! And the last remaining one leads their ashikabi to the higher sky above, and grasps the fate of the world! Now let's begin the new legend, a lovely war chronicle, and a miraculous love story!" He decreed for all to hear, overwhelmed with excitement.

Looking at the man before her she contemplated on kicking his crazy ass off the roof. To say that she was less than pleased that her son had gotten himself caught up in this mess would be an understatement. Of course in her foul mood she had to walk in on Minaka rambling insanely to himself.

"Will you shut the hell up!? I want you to pull Minato out of this game now!" she screamed clocking him over the head nearly knocking him off the building anyway.

"No can do Takami dear! Once he has been marked as an ashikabi he is bound to the game!" he replied while climbing back up the ledge.

"You offered Kurosaki a chance to leave, why can't you offer one to Minato as well?" she asked composing herself.

"What I offered him was nothing more than an empty promise. In all reality I never was going to let him walk away. I just wanted to gauge his reaction is all." He finished in a calculating voice.

"Why are you going out of your way to provoke reactions from him? What if he finds out who Minato's father is and tries to hurt him to get to you?" she asked with concern in her voice. She was also keeping a track of Minato through the satellite feed, when his crazy sekirei jumped in the air with him she panicked. Sekirei may be extremely agile, but they definitely can't fly. She was relieved when he landed safely, even though it was a little rough. Taking note of where he landed her panic started to rise, of all places he landed at Maison Izumo. She wouldn't have minded if Kurosaki also didn't reside there, earlier that morning she erased the footage of his and Miya's spar. Hoping to get Minato out of danger she called Kagari, before coming to negotiate with her estranged lover. Her mind was made up, if Minaka wouldn't help she would and first she needed to get close to Ichigo. 'Originally I erased the spar to keep his strength hidden away from Minaka. Now I need to find a way to convince him to protect Minato without revealing who his father is.' This whole sekirei business was a never ending source of migraines for her.

"He interests me is all, maybe more than the Sekirei themselves. I wouldn't worry about Minato, his weak disposition seems to put him in the same category as a person he's likely to protect." He replied waving a hand at her dismissively. He really didn't care for his son's safety all that much, to be truthful he viewed him as kind of a disappointment. 'He would be so much better if he had the determination of his sister Yukari.'

Clenching her hands in anger she stopped herself from lashing out at the infuriating man. She has had just about enough of his bashing on Minato. It wasn't the boy's fault that he never had a decent father figure to look up to. She did what she could, but she was sort of an absentee mother as well, constantly putting work above all else. Even with his flaws she could see that her son was going to be a great man someday, she just wanted him to live to see that day.

"Well it's a good thing that he just moved into Maison Izumo then. After all who knows what you have planned for this game, being around number 01 and Kurosaki might be quite helpful to him." Takami replied disguising her fear perfectly.

"Now that is going to be entertaining! I'm going to have to keep an eye on them for sure now!" He cheered.

* * *

-Karakura Urahara Shoten-

Pacing his shop much to Yoruichi's annoyance, the geta clad man was pissed. He figured Ichigo would be smarter than what he had done. After giving up on running interference he followed Ichigo to the river. He wasn't all that surprise when a fight almost broke out, he outright laughed when Ichigo taunted the pink haired girl. What surprised him and pissed him off was when he revealed his garganta to the silver haired woman. 'No way around he is going to have to kill her now to keep his secret.' That was nearly two hours ago, the girls were freaking out and wouldn't sit still long enough for Tessai to bind their wounds. He eventually had to resort to slipping them sleeping pills in their tea to keep them put. He knew there was no way he went to the Seireitei and he didn't pick up any trace of that sekirei in Shinto Teito last time he looked. That only left one place 'Hueco Mundo' he thought disappointedly. There was only one reason he went there and that was to cut loose. He had hoped after their spar he would have been satisfied for a while, 'but with all that power coursing through him he probably needs to vent some of it.' this could get very dangerous for everyone if Minaka were to find out about Soul Society and Shinigami. The man's curiosity was on par with Kisuke's when it came to thirst for knowledge. Deciding to stop pacing after several pointed glares from Yoruichi, he sat across from her at the table.

"What the fuck was he thinking? I thought he was getting less impulsive, it seems his natural instincts for battle are deeper than we thought." He stated looking at his longtime friend for conversation.

"You knew this was going to happen eventually when he joined this game. The first time you picked up strong reiatsu readings from them, you knew he would be drawn to battle. It's the way he's made after all." She replied back in a bored tone. Over the years she had come to be able to predict Ichigo with a frightening accuracy. She always figured it was from all the time they spent sparring together. She was at a point now where she could predict he's moves way in advance, 'still knowing what's coming and stopping it are two different things.' She thought with a chuckle, 'That boy is a pure monster in stamina and juggernaut when it comes to punishment.' Seeing Kisuke's computer light up with a message they both turned to it expectantly.

"Hello Urahara-San and Shihoin-San I…"

"No need to be so formal Jushiro, what can we do for you?" Yoruichi asked after interrupting him. She really wasn't big on being addressed formally.

"Right of course, I was just wondering why I'm getting reports of massive unidentifiable energy surges in Hueco Mundo from the Twelfth Division." He answered getting right to the point. If Ichigo was on a rampage he wanted to know so he could do some damage control.

"Officially Ichigo is practicing on some new techniques. Unofficially he was challenged to a fight by a rather strong Sekirei so he moved it to a safe place." Kisuke replied back absently fanning himself.

"Well that certainly is troubling. How strong would you say his opponent is?"

"Can't say for sure from what I felt she could be a Fuku-Taicho. From what I seen her and Zaraki would make a fine pair." Sipping his tea he studied the man on the screen. While he trusted Jushiro to keep his word, he knew if a threat revealed itself though he wouldn't keep a secret. He didn't look down on him for it, after all Jushiro took pride in keeping people safe.

"Is this going to be a future problem?" he inquired nonchalantly. He was hoping that it didn't turn into anything more, then what it already was.

"I wouldn't worry if I was you. Ichigo has the situation under control. Besides he has me helping him what could go wrong!?" he finished with a big smile.

"Do you really want me to answer that?" Ukitake deadpanned. He liked Kisuke he truly did, but the man had the knack of causing chaos. 'And combined with Ichigo I can't imagine the hell the will raise.'

"So mean Jushiro, I will let Ichigo know you called bye-bye." He quickly shot out disconnecting the call.

"Well that didn't go so bad!"

"You're an idiot."

* * *

-Hueco Mundo-

Stepping out of the portal the Black Sekirei was wide eyed at the landscape around her. The empty desert cried despair, the moonlit dunes rolled on into eternal nothingness, and off in the distance she could see two creatures tearing each other to shreds. For some reason she felt right at home here and that made a small smile cross her face.

"So you ready to die? Don't think your little trick was enough to scare me." She provoked. Her blood was screaming for battle and this waste land was a dream atmosphere for a mêlée. Taking in his appearance she was a little disappointed that she didn't see a weapon on him.

"What no weapon, do you think you can take me bare handed Kurosaki-San?" she mocked.

"You know I'm getting sick off all the arrogance I keep encountering lately. Miya said something similar before she was looking up at me from the flat of her back." He replied while rolling his neck getting a satisfying pop. 'Still a little sore from earlier. Shouldn't be a problem though.' Summoning Tensa Zangetsu to add a little flash to his speech he drove it into the sand. "and to answer your question I have a weapon. The real question is are you strong enough to make me use it."

Enraged by the man before her, she wanted nothing more than to make him see his insides as she pulled them out. 'He's just bluffing there is no way this monkey beat Miya in any sort of combat.'

"You're lying there's no way you beat Miya, I bet you don't even know how to use that blade!" she responded in rage.

She went wide eyed as he pulled the ebony blade and with a mere practice swing made the landscape buckle under his might. She sighed a bit in relief when he placed it back in its resting position. Staring at him intently and seeing him charge a red ball on his fingertip had her curious, but also apprehensive. Everything turned into confusion when he pointed away from her and released the energy. Fear, primal and unforgiving fear raced through her body as she seen the trench his effortless attack carved through the sand. Making it even worse was when it wiped out ten masked monsters that were charging at them, leaving nothing but ash in its wake.

"You have to focus on more than me here. There are hundreds of beings that would love to take a bite out of you around. Enough talk though let's get started." He finished charging at her.

Dodging a quick slash from her, he delivered a bone jarring punch to her stomach sending her reeling backwards. He was a little disappointed in her at the moment, if she wasn't going to be a problem he would've stayed in Karakura. Watching her pick up the pace like Miya he smirked. 'Well at least she has some speed on her side.' Weaving in and out of her slashes he was impressed by her technique, she was far from an amateur. Once again spotting an opening he kicked her in the head sending her rolling through the gritty sand. Not letting her breathe he sent a Bala at her, slightly impressed when she managed to dodge it. Seeing a hollow sneak up behind her he shunpoed to her back, grabbing the hand she held her sword in he spun them both around slicing through its mask together.

She was in complete shock when they killed the hollow together. It was beyond her comprehension as to why he would do that. She could ask him later as he was choking out his last breaths under her blade. Feigning a frontal assault she changed directions with a burst of speed. She smiled when it worked and she landed a blow to his forearm. Much to her dismay it only left a small gash instead of severing the limb completely. Looking in his eyes as they were set ablaze by the sight of his own blood, one thought crossed her mind 'I'm fucked!'

Sure enough she was correct as he blitzed at her quicker than she could comprehend. She was getting battered around like a cat toying with a mouse. A swift uppercut sent her flying into the air. Staring at the moon as she was ascending she couldn't help but feel as if it was mocking her. Her one unswollen eye widened when he appeared above her gripping her by the face and starting an unholy pace towards the ground. She felt like everything in her body had broken when she impacted. Staring up at him she was certain that she seen his eyes flash black and yellow for an instance.

"S-Stop" she croaked out trying to clear the blood in her mouth as it started to choke her. She had felt this feeling only once in her life, and that was the time she went to mock Miya for her husband. Who in her opinion foolishly lost his life protecting sekirei when a Jinki went haywire. His eyes were just as cold as hers that faithful night.

Hearing her plea he closed his eyes and started taking deep breaths. Fighting in Hueco Mundo was always touchy for him, it beckoned to the darkness in his soul. When he wasn't careful or if he started enjoying himself his brutality increased tenfold. Looking at the broken mess at his feet he felt sympathy for the gray haired woman. 'I remember being in the same condition at Noritora's feet once.' Making sure he had his power under control he began healing kido. He knew he couldn't fix her completely, but he could make her stable enough to move. Her life wasn't his to take, Orihime still owed her a life debt and it was her call to make. 'If Orihime heals her and she refuses to keep my secret I can kill her then.' He reasoned after the debt was paid she was fair game.

* * *

-Urahara Shop-

Landing in the training ground he was surprised when no one was around. Opting to jump up the ladder instead of climbing, he found Kisuke, Yoruichi, and Tessai sitting in the back casually drinking sake. Carefully setting his passenger down, he took a saucer offered to him and filled it. Draining it in one gulp, he looked at the empty dish while asking.

"Where are the girls at?"

"Resting in the back, they need time to recover." The purple haired woman replied. Eyeing the battered new comer she kind of had a feeling of what he wanted. 'Looks like he cut loose on her. He should know better than to fight in Hueco Mundo.'

"Tessai would you mind keeping her stable until tomorrow morning for me?" He asked the only person besides Orihime qualified to treat her.

"No problem Ichigo-Dono." He replied standing up and retrieving Karasuba before exiting the room.

Holding up his hand to stop any incoming questions he just regarded his mentors with a tired look.

"I will answer questions in the morning, right now I'm beat and going to bed." Leaving no room for argument he stood up and moved to the direction he felt his girls in.

Standing at their door he let his eyes roam over them. 'They look absolutely exhausted' noticing the lack of bruising he chalked it up to Tessai or the healing spring in the training grounds. Carefully getting undressed so that he didn't wake them, he crawled between them and smiled when the instinctively moved closer to his body heat.

Cracking his eyes open the next morning he was surprised to be the only one still in the room. Hearing a conversation going on he decided it was time for him to get up as well. Walking into the dining room made the conversation stop. Karasuba looked a hundred percent and was smiling, Uzume had a look of amazement and fear in her eyes, surprisingly Orihime was giving him the stink eye and Urahara had an idiotic grin like usual.

"All right I give what the hell did I miss?"

A/N: Thank you for all the reviews, favs, and follows. I was going to save the fight in Hueco Mundo for the next chapter, but I figured it would be a little bit dickish lol. Anyway hope you enjoyed the chapter.


	10. Chapter 10

"Are you my Onii-Chan?" the little girl asked. She was a young girl around the age of six or seven. She had long blonde hair down to her backside, with emerald green eyes. She was wearing a simple light green dress with a ribbon on the back.

"Maybe, can I ask why you are crying?" Minato asked taking a seat next to the tearful little girl. He remembered seeing an apparition of this same girl when he and Musubi were plunging from the sky. He knew that this child was the reason he survived the fall at all.

"I'm lost Onii-Chan, I-I need you to find me before someone else does!" she sniffled out.

Her fear made his heart cry out for her. He knew that no matter what he was going to find her and keep her safe.

"Can you tell me where you are? I will definitely come for you, be strong for me until I get there." He directed while wrapping her in a consoling hug.

"I'm not far, I'm in the aberi…"

She never got to finish his statement as he suddenly woke up from his dream. 'Damn I need to find her before anyone else does. I didn't know there were sekirei so young in this game.' He thought while trying endlessly to decipher her last statement. He was a little frustrated that he couldn't stay asleep a few minutes longer. Looking around he was surprised that his first sekirei was already up and out of the room. Walking through the halls in a day dream like state he didn't even register the sounds of combat coming from the backyard. Entering the bathroom to take care of his morning rituals, he finally found his answer as he was sitting on the can.

"The Arboretum! That's what she was trying to say!" he exclaimed nearly toppling off the stool.

* * *

-Kagari's room-

Sighing to himself he lit a cigarette as he watched the sun rise. It had been another long night at the host club, as well as his duties as a guardian for the un-emerged. He could still feel the burns on his skin from using his powers. He hated what he was, not many would enjoy being slowly incinerated from the inside. He knew that emerging would stabilize him, but to his dismay he never reacted to any of the women he bedded from the club. Hearing his phone vibrate on his dresser, he sighed before putting out his smoke in the ashtray. He knew that there was only one person that would call him this time of day. Not even looking at the caller ID he answered.

"Hello Takami-San, what can I do for you?"

"I wanted to let you know that Minaka has released the information about the Green Girl to all the Ashikabi." She stated while adjusting the bandage across her left eye. She was absolutely pissed that she was attacked by that scythe wielding skank. That was one of the reasons behind her call, she knew that Kagari even un-emerged would wipe the floor with her. The other reason is that she wanted him to watch Minato if went to save number 108.

"You have got to be fucking kidding me! Someday I'm going to set that man a blaze and watch as he slowly turns to cinders!" he exclaimed slightly pacing his room. "All the work I put in last night and the night before to keep her safe is ruined!"

"I know and I am sorry for putting this on you. I will go to the club and request you so that you don't lose your number one ranking. I would like you to do me another favor though woul…"

"You want me to look after your son for you?" he guessed ruffling his messy silver hair. It was fairly easy to deduce her request, she asked the same thing when he moved into Izumo Inn. To be honest he was going to do it anyway, Takami was a good friend after all.

"So you will do it then? How is Minato adjusting anyway?" she inquired. She was extremely happy that Kurosaki was out of town at the moment. 'At least he can make friends with the others before he meets that monster.'

"Of course he seems to be a decent kid. He appears to be doing just fine. It's kind of funny watching him squirm when his sekirei slips up about the Sekirei Plan. I think that bastard Minaka scared the shit out of him when he contacted him." Kagari replied while tossing a small fireball in his hand. Just thinking of Minaka made his skin want to ignite in fury.

"I don't doubt that. He really likes intimidating others, well besides Kurosaki. Any news on him yet? Karasuba still hasn't returned from her trip to Karakura and he is furious with her!"

"I haven't heard anything yet, but I think he has been keeping in contact with Miya. Do you think that it is possible that he winged the Black Sekirei? That would create quite the commotion around here!" he chuckled out. Miya and Karasuba in the same house would cause complete chaos, 'Mix Ichigo in and it could be apocalyptic!'

"Nothing has informed us that she has been winged. It is possible, his hometown is extremely well cloaked, but we picked up when Uzume was winged there."

"Well that's a relief. I think Miya would have a conniption fit if he brought her here!" the fire wielder exclaimed. In truth he kind of wanted to see the outcome.

"All right I got to go. Minaka has been left alone for too long, no telling what that crazy asshole will do. Thank you again Kagari I really appreciate it." She sighed out. Dealing with everything that she does made her never wonder why her hair turned white at such a young age.

"No problem, talk to you later." He replied before hanging up. Walking out of his room he heard a battle cry followed almost immediately by an 'OW'. He couldn't stop the laugh that passed his lips as he observed the timid man's reaction to the spar.

* * *

"Kagari! Thank god you have to stop them! Musubi is really strong and I don't want the land lady to get hurt!" Minato exclaimed while waving his hands around. After seeing Musubi fight with the lightning twins, he was scared for Miya's safety.

"I wouldn't worry about it. Even though Musubi is a strong sekirei she won't be able to hurt Miya." He replied back in a bored tone. He also wanted to let him that they knew about the game so he would stop fearing so much about keeping it secret.

"W-What you know about Sekirei!?" he squeaked. 'Oh god I hope MBI doesn't think that I told them!'

"Of course. You're not the only ashikabi living here ya know."

"You mean you're an ashikabi too? Does that you mean Asama-San is your sekirei?" it was official he was bewildered for the hundredth time since meeting the busty number 88.

"Hahaha no I'm not an ashikabi and Miya is not a sekirei!" he choked out while laughing. Slightly composing himself he continued, "The other resident that we told you about lives here with his sekirei."

"Oh, you said his name was Kurosaki Ichigo right? What a strange name for a man, who would name their son strawberry?" he contemplated while trying to visualize a man named strawberry. He chuckled as the image of a short, round and wimpy person popped into his head.

"I don't think that's what his name means and it would be wise not to bring it up. I don't know a lot about him, but he strikes me as not having a very good sense of humor." The guardian warned.

"What are you two talking about?" Miya asked sweetly (a little too sweetly) as her infamous mask appeared behind her. She had partially been keeping track of their conversation and when her being a sekirei was mentioned they had her full attention. When they started talking about Ichigo she decided to stop it.

"N-Nothing at all Miya! Would ya look at the time I should be getting to bed!" Kagari exclaimed while scampering out of the room, nearly knocking Minato over in the process.

"Minato-San don't you have to be to work soon?"

"Ehehehe no Asama-San something came up and I need Musubi's help. I didn't want to interrupt your spar though so I was just waiting for you to finish." He replied back a little nervously.

"Aww but I prepared a bento for you. No matter you can take it with you anyway." The purple haired miko stated. After talking to Matsu earlier in the morning she had a pretty good idea where he was heading off to. 'He's a really nice guy, a bit unsure of himself though. He definitely made a better first impression than Ichigo!'

"Of course, I really appreciate it! Come on Musubi we need to get ready."

"What's wrong with what I'm wearing?" she cutely questioned slightly tilting her head to the side.

"Ah well it's um a little…" he stammered while trying not to stare at her in the gym clothes his sister brought for him.

"Your clothes are a little too revealing Musubi-Chan. Sparring in them is one thing, but going out in public in them is improper." Miya finished for him knowing what he was trying to say.

"Really? Their so comfortable though and easy to move in!" she slightly whined out

"Be that as it may, young ladies she always be modest."

Knowing that she wasn't going to win an argument against her sensei, she just hung her head and followed her blushing ashikabi to their shared room.

Walking out of the house fifteen minutes later he still was sporting a healthy blush on his cheeks. After the first one had subsided, Musubi innocently stripped in front of him. 'She's so beautiful! How the hell did I get so lucky?' he questioned himself stealing a glance at the brunette to his left. As if on cue she shyly reached over and grabbed his hand.

"Minato where are we going exactly?" she asked a little bashfully. She was extremely happy that she found an ashikabi as wonderful as Minato.

"We're going to the arboretum. There's a sekirei there that needs our help." He replied determinedly. Even though he had no clue as to what he was doing, he wouldn't stop until that little girl was safe.

"Is it the same girl you've been having dreams about?"

"Yeah"

"We have to hurry then! Sekirei only link through dreams to their destined Ashikabi!" the excitable fist type shouted before taking off in a dead sprint while still holding his hand.

"Musubi wai…" he tried but the rest of his plea was blocked out by the roar of wind.

Making over three miles in record pace the busty 88th was proud of herself. She was impressed with the speed boost that emerging had bestowed her with. Looking down at the pale passenger still in her grasp made her freak out.

"MINATO! Oh I'm so sorry Minato please don't be hurt! Musubi didn't even realize that she was dragging you with her!"

Biting back the urge to vomit all over the side walk, the skinny young man stared at his distressed girlfriend. Trying with all his might to will the nausea and light headedness away, which he was failing at miserably. He finally mustard up the energy to croak out.

"I-It's okay, I-I'm fine really." To contradict himself he lost breakfast behind a nearby bush. Feeling slightly better he took in their surroundings, and sure enough they were at the entrance of the Arboretum. It looked like a complete warzone though with the wrecked vehicles and explosions going off from within.

* * *

He made his first steps forward when he was instantly pulled back just as an icicle passed in front of his face. Looking up at his savior as his heart swelled more for his first sekirei, he took in the fierce determination shinning in her eyes.

"Don't worry Minato, no one will stop me I will definitely win for you!" turning to her opponent she began her introductions, "I am number 88 Musubi and I challenge you to…"

"It's no use she is a scrapped number and I will be her opponent. You two better get inside!" the mysterious grey haired man stated.

"K-Kagari is that you?" the black haired teen stammered out.

Surprised by being found out, he was about to refute the statement when Musubi saved him the trouble.

"That's not Kagari, that's Homura silly, the guardian of the un-winged sekirei." She stated matter of factly before tilting her head and looking closer, "He does resemble him though, but Kagari doesn't wear a mask."

"You two are getting side tracked! Get your asses moving!" he barked out, he was a little dejected after all the work he put into concealing his identity.

"Right! Thank you Homura-San!" Musubi chirped grabbing her ashikabi and disappearing inside the gates.

About a hundred yards in he spotted another apparition of the little girl. This time she didn't say a word just pointed him in a direction with a shaky hand. Seeing her trembling made his body flood with new determination and energy. Not conveying what he saw he simply changed directions knowing Musubi was hot on his heels. Coming out into a clearing he finally laid eyes on the source of all the explosions. It was the two twins from the other day and they were doing battle with a girl wielding a scythe.

"I said back of you bondage bitches! My master has his eyes on her and I won't fail him again!" the scythe wielder shrieked, sending another blast of wind at Hibiki. Sensing another attack coming from her blind side she growled, "Don't you have any damn honor!? Sekirei fights are one on one, or are you two just as pathetic as your good for nothing ashikabi?!"

"Hey I would rather have him than some good looking and wealthy ashikabi any day!" Hikari screamed. He may have no morals or money, and maybe he was a complete pervert, but he was their broke pervert damn it!

Said pervert was just casually leaning against a tree when he noticed the new arrivals. 'That kids kind of a bean pole. He has one hell of a smoking hot sekirei though. That little bastard probably doesn't even know what to do with breast as magnificent as those.' So caught up in his ogling he didn't notice when the fight stopped around him.

"What the hell are you staring at Seo!" Hikari shrieked sending a bolt of electricity at her mate. 'Honestly he has me and Hibiki, but he still stares shamelessly at other girls!' she smirked when her sister joined in and zapped his ass from the other side. Even though her sister was the calm one, she never hesitates to shock Seo when he gets out of hand.

"Jeez! Enough you two I didn't even say anything." He groaned, slightly smoking in a heap on the forest floor.

"Well if you two are finished I will be taking the Green Girl back to my master." Yomi announced turning away from the trio. She was intending to grab the little girl and bail when she was unceremoniously shoulder blocked into the ground.

"I-I can't let you take her! She doesn't want to go with you!" the suddenly courageous teen shouted out.

"Who the fuck are you?! Get out of my way!" she raged regaining her footing and preparing to cleave him in two with her scythe.

To her amazement her weapon was stopped mid swing by a brown haired girl. After being stopped in her tracks she received a round house kick to the head sending her careening into a tree.

"I am number and 88, Musubi, and I cannot allow you to raise your blade to my ashikabi!" she stated with an anger to her voice that made the others in the vicinity shiver slightly.

"If that's what you want, I am number 43, Yomi and I will kill you before I skin that pathetic ant alive!" she retorted charging in hacking and slashing at her agile opponent. She wasn't landing decisive blows, but she was enjoying the humiliation of her opponent as she cut her clothes off piece by piece. Stepping back to launch a wind attack proved to be a grievous error when she missed. The long swipe of her blade left her out of position and in the perfect place to receive an axe kick to the shoulder. Crying out when she felt the bone break under impact, she summoned her strength 'I won't fail you Mikogami-Sama.'

"What are we going to do Seo? Should we fight them both or wait and take out the winner?"

He almost didn't hear the question he had been concentrating on the little girl. He was happy to note that she seemed to find her destined one, if the way she curled up in his lap was an indication. He was also horribly distracted whenever the brunette would throw a punch resulting in her breasts being exposed. 'Greatest set of cans ever!' Pulling himself together to avoid any more assaults he answered.

"No, you shouldn't do either. It looks like the squirt has found the one she wanted, it's their battle now."

He stood up to make his way towards the other ashikabi in the area. He plopped down next to him on the ground, before picking up the bento laying on the ground next to the teen. Opening it up he could only think 'Jack Pot!' before taking an unreasonably large bite out of a rice ball. 'I know this cooking! This is Miya's.' he turned his head slowly to his new company regarding him with a critical eye. 'So this shitheads living with Miya. He doesn't fit the description of the brutal ashikabi I've been hearing stories about. He looks like he would jump out of his skin if I cut a fart loud enough.' Looking back to the fight he grimaced.

After the 43rd sekirei broke her collar bone the fight turned absolutely one sided. Barely being able to lift her scythe anymore she lashed out with kicks, which were extremely amateurish to a seasoned fighter. The lights went out permanently when she landed flat on her back with Musubi following her down driving her right hand into her skull. It wasn't a death blow, but it was a shutdown level 4 strike that left her opponent in critical condition, maybe even brain dead.

Tearing his eyes away from Musubi as she took a seat next to her downed opponent, which confused him slightly. He jumped at the close proximity of the man to his right. He was a tall and lean-built with brown hair and a gruff, wild look to him. Even though he didn't mind sharing, he was a little pissed that the man had cleared out his whole bento when he wasn't paying attention. 'What an asshole!' he thought bravely even though he knew he would never have the balls to say it out loud.

"Well that was delicious. I guess that makes us even then." Seo stated knocking some stray rice off his face.

"Seo what the hell!? We told you we were going to cook for you tonight!" Hikari screamed with sparks flying from her fingertips.

"We're so sorry he did that please accept our apology." Hibiki pleaded with her hands clasped in front of her with her head bowed.

"C-Calm down you two! He gave it to me for keeping the little girl safe until he got here. It would have been rude to turn it down. Right little buddy!" he lied smoothly while giving Minato a thumbs up.

"Sure what he said." He blurted out with a nervous chuckle.

* * *

-Urahara Shoten-

"All right I give, what the hell did I miss?" The confused hybrid inquired. 'I'm not sure what the hell is going on, but Orihime looks pissed at me, Uzume looks slightly afraid of me, Karasuba looks like she wants to fight again, and Kisuke well he looks like an idiot as usual.'

"How could you Ichigo-Kun!? I told you that she saved me after I lost that fight in the park! This is how you thank her? You nearly killed her!" The young healer screeched out. She'd been upset with him before, but this was crossing the line in her opinion.

"It wasn't my fault! She challenged me damn it!" he returned back starting get heated as well. 'What the fuck! I didn't even want to fight in the first place!' Turning to glare at the cause of this mess he continued, "A little help here asshole!"

"He's right I did challenge him Orihime." She confirmed, 'Didn't expect to get my ass handed to me though!'

Walking over he took a seat between his two girls, pulling Orihime closer when she tried to move away.

"Will you knock it off? She's not hurt and she even admitted it was her fault it happened." He reasoned giving her a kiss on the temple, which earned him a glare and huff in return. He smiled she had forgiven him but wasn't ready to admit it yet. Glancing over at Uzume he almost groaned at the fact she was only wearing panties and a tight shirt. It was true that they had seen each other naked several times, but he could admit she looked sexy as hell in what she was currently wearing. A small blush crept up his cheeks when she sent him a wink after catching him checking her out.

Sitting across from the trio the Black Sekirei finished her tea. She absolutely hated all the lovey dovey shit she was witnessing. In her opinion a man with his power should have the world bowing at his feet, but here he was blushing and acting like a love struck fool. If possible her hate for him grew even more. 'Next time I will take his fucking head!' Deciding it was time to make her exit she stood up and stated.

"Looks like I should head back. That idiot Minaka has been calling non-stop and is more than likely preparing to do something stupid."

Seeing the incredibly fake smile on her face, he knew she couldn't be trusted. He was in a tough spot, he didn't want to kill her, but he couldn't trust her to keep her mouth shut. Stealing a quick glance at Urahara he knew the blonde haired man was thinking along the same lines. He was getting ready to walk her to the train station, before the shop keep beat him to it.

"I'll walk you to the station. Don't want you getting lost after all." He stated cheerily also getting to his feet.

The odd looking duo were making their way through the calm streets of Karakura, the silence between them reeked of tension.

"You didn't have to walk me." She stated with annoyance palpable in her voice. 'If this little shit thinks he can intimidate me into keeping my mouth shut I will pull out his spine.'

"Oh I just wanted to make sure you got on your train okay is all." He calmly replied, discreetly digging something out of his pocket.

"I'm sure that's all you wanted! If you think Kurosaki is going to avoid fighting me again you have anoth…" Her impromptu rant was cut off by a bright flash, feeling slightly disorientated she boarded the train.

'Well it looks like the memory chikan worked. She shouldn't remember anything from the past twenty four hours, well she'll remember something just not what actually happened.' Looking around he was pleased that it was still early and that not that many people were out yet. Looking at the sunrise he made his way back to the shop.

* * *

-Two Days Later-

"They're getting their asses handed to them again." The orange haired teen calmly stated, as he watched Uzume sail through the air. He raised an eyebrow when he seen her tuck into the fall and roll out minimizing the damage.

"Yes they are. It seems that their teamwork is still out of sync." Kisuke lazily drawled absently fanning himself.

"It's only been a couple days and sekirei fight one on one anyway." Ichigo defended. He was still impressed by their progress, they were each taking far less hits then their first training session.

"For now they do. Who knows what twists the game could take. It's better to have them prepared for a team battle just in case." Urahara shot back. He would bet everything he had that the current status quo would change. 'Hell he might even make the ashikabi join in the combat.'

"You may have a point there. I think I have a way to help them rely on each other, I'm going to need a little help though." Ichigo mused while standing to his feet. Catching the neko's eye he signaled for her to quit knocking her students around for the moment.

"Hey I think we should break for lunch. What do you think?" he called out walking towards the heavily panting and battered looking sekirei.

"How about we call it for the day?!" Uzume pleaded. 'These people are fucking insane! Who the hell trains this hard?!'

Waiving off her complaints he shifted his attention to Orihime, whose mood seemed to brighten considerably at the prospect of lunch and a break. 'Well she better enjoy it while she can I'm not going to take it easy on them that's for sure.' He thought as he made his way across the expansive training grounds.

Picking at his own plate of curry he let his mind wander. Subjects such as the uncertain future that may or may not happen. He undoubtedly had feelings for the two women bonded to him, but the whole situation was extremely bizarre. Watching his girls wolf down their food with gusto brought a smile to his face, he was proud of them for their efforts during the training sessions. He didn't want to put them through what he was about to, but they needed to be able to rely on each other. He was so lost in thought that he didn't notice Yoruichi staring at him from across the table, until she started speaking.

"So what do have planned for after lunch Ichigo?" The golden eyed woman asked. She had to admit that she was curious, given his initial reluctance to be involved, seeing him take the reins peeked her interest.

"Just something that I have been discussing with Urahara. I think it will make these two learn the value of teamwork a bit faster."

She just wanted to go home back to Maison Izumo and relax. It was becoming clearer every day that her ashikabi and his mentors were slave drivers. When she agreed to training this torture never crossed her mind. Not only was she forced to get up before dawn, but the training didn't end until long after sunset. The only time she got a break was when they ate meals or the purple haired sadist broke one of their bones. It was always short lived, with Orihime's ability the injuries would be fine in minutes and training would commence. Stealing a quick glance at the other girl she came to the conclusion that she both loved the girls healing and loathed it at the same time. 'Every time she fixes me the golden eyed demon takes it as a personal challenge to hurt me worse!' After witnessing how brutal her mate could be there was no way she wanted to train under him either. 'For fucks sake he beat Karasuba to within an inch of her life and it didn't even sound like he was trying!' From the look on his face he was ready to get started much to her dismay.

"All right you two, breaks over time to get the show on the road!" He stated a little too enthusiastically for their liking. He would never tell Kisuke, but he could see why the man loved being the teacher so much. The look of dread the two girls were sporting almost made him want to laugh.

She was getting ready to follow the trio down the ladder before a hand reached out and gripped her wrist. Turning to Urahara she gave him a questioning gaze.

"I think it would be better for us to watch from up here." He stated leading her to an observation room, kicking the trap door shut as he passed.

-Training Grounds-

"Before we get started I want to tell you two how proud I am of you. You have been training your asses off, but you still lack teamwork." He stopped when Orihime looked like she wanted to say something.

"Ichigo-Kun sekirei fight one on one is this really necessary?" She asked a little timidly. The look of determination burning in his eyes made her shiver in excitement and trepidation. She always thought he looked incredibly sexy when he looked like that.

"That's true, but Kisuke pointed out that that could change. So in his opinion you need to be prepared to fight as a team. This training won't end…" He paused as the cavern was immersed in an inky blackness, "…until I say so." With his speech made, he shunpoed away from them to a spot high on a ledge. Sliding on a pair of night vision goggles that Kisuke supplied him with he smiled. Seeing them start to move away from each other slightly pissed him off, when Uzume lashed out with her silky veil he decided to act. Landing soundlessly beside her he delivered a kick to her abdomen, knocking her into the other female.

"You won't succeed unless you stick together." He growled a few feet from them, he jumped back to avoid each of their attacks.

Returning to his previous position he sent a low powered bala in their direction. Much to his growing agitation Orihime dodged it only for it to hit Uzume behind her. Picking up the speed that he sent them seemed to be the only way to get his point across. After two hours he was forced to constantly change the angle at which he attacked. Seeing the brunette wrap the other girl protectively and pull her out of the way of an incoming blast made him grin. That grin was wiped off his face when a streak of golden light nicked his cheek drawing a little blood. 'So Uzume played defense while Orihime returned fire. Very sneaky you two, time to turn it up a notch on them then.' Firing a low powered Shakkahou straight in the air as an impromptu flare he charged in at them.

Caught completely off guard by the change in tactics both girls were knocked on their asses. Scrambling to their feet as the source of light faded away Orihime immediately reached out for her partner.

* * *

"Well that was new!" Uzume stated wiping the dirt off her ass. Moving her sweat soaked bangs out of her eyes she moved closer to the other female.

"I think we almost got him with our attack, that's why he switched it up." The busty healer hypothesized before ducking an incoming ball of red energy while placing her shield in front of her sister sekirei.

Studying them from twenty feet away he was happy to take note that they no longer wore looks of fright, but fierce determination. 'Looks like they're no longer afraid of fighting in the dark. Let's see how confident they are when they are split up.' Quiet as a shadow he moved behind Orihime wrapping his left arm around her waist while clamping his right hand over her mouth. He disappeared so fast neither of the two females knew what happened.

"You have ten minutes to find each other before I start attacking again." He called out. Taking a seat above on a nearby cliff he patiently waited. 'Since they can't see they will have to track the others reiatsu.' Or so he thought until he seen Orihime's shield light up like a beacon. 'Clever girl, but that's cheating.' Running top speed he smashed through the golden barrier eliciting a surprised yelp from his second sekirei. Not slowing down he scooped her up and dropped her in a different location.

"That was good thinking, but not what this exercise is about so please don't do that again." He commanded giving her a quick peck on the lips before he dashed away again. Finding Uzume he wanted to compliment her, to her credit she changed directions once he moved Inoue again. 'Looks like Orihime isn't the only one with an aptitude for sensing reiatsu. Very impressive Uzume.' He watched with satisfaction as the two made their way towards each other. He slightly grimaced a couple times when they would fall on the uneven grounds, but they always got back up and continued on. Once they were reunited he wasted no time in resuming his assault. For the next three hours he changed between firing long distance shots, close combat, and separating them. Which after the first time he attacked them individually until the other found them and helped out. Finally he had seen enough they were moving in perfect unison, with only minimal verbal communication. If he were being honest with himself they looked like hell. Both were covered with sweat, grime, and littered with small cuts and bruises. Leaping down to them he grabbed them in a bear hug and disappeared with a whisper. Landing at the edge of the healing spring he unceremoniously dumped them in. Taking off the goggles he laughed when the lights came on. They both looked like drowned, very pissed off kittens. Holding up his hands in surrender he started.

"Easy now, training is over. I just figured you guys would like to clean up is all." He tried so hard, but he couldn't help the amusement that leaked into his voice. He blushed when they started to strip and pelt him with their drenched clothes. Taking a look as his own sweaty appearance he began to get undressed as well, before jumping in creating a large splash as he cannonballed. He couldn't believe how at ease these two made him, before he would have never joined a female in the springs let alone two. 'Yoruichi doesn't count she always snuck in while I was already bathing.' He mused while splashing Orihime only for Uzume to retaliate by jumping on his back dunking him under the water. Settling across from them he leaned his head back on the ledge and closed his eyes.

* * *

Feeling how at peace he was through their bond both girls took up a similar state of relaxation. After the insanely intense training session both were grateful to sit still and let the warmth of the water seep deep into their muscles.

Opting to turn around and rest her chin on her forearms that were propped on the edge of the spring Uzume began to let her eyes close. She jumped slightly in surprise when she felt two large hands land on her shoulders. She was about to ask when the hands started to gently pull at the knots in her over worked shoulders. 'That's right Orihime said that Ichigo knew how to give a massage.' Her eyes began to close only to snap open again as she felt her ashikabi's power start to flood into her body. It seemed to move like a gentle current that swirled and slightly vibrated across her back. Feeling his hands land at the top of her ass, she tried but failed to stifle a moan as he started moving upwards. To her immense enjoyment the current of power stayed a few inches in front of his heavenly hands, unlocking knots just in front of his addictive touches. As his movements changed so did the warm tide of reiatsu slightly vibrating one second, to heating up the next moment and finally a gently kneading motion. Combined with the experienced use of his hands, power, and hot spring she was relaxed to a point that the outside world faded away. Nothing mattered at the moment not even the Sekirei Plan.

He didn't know why he decided to give her a massage maybe it was to return the favor. Deep down he knew there was more to it than that simple explanation. It was pride, love, and an urge to run his hands across her delicate looking back. Turning his head to the side he seen the discontented pout on his bright haired girls face. Giving her a small smile he promised that she would get one as well, before leaning in and capturing her lips in a chaste kiss. He was caught off guard when his attempt to pull back was stop by Orihime as grabbed the back of his head fisting her hand almost painfully in his hair. His mind seemed to be put on autopilot when she tilted her head to deepen the kiss, to which he quickly complied. He didn't even realize that he stopped the massage on Uzume, until he felt her breasts press into his back as she started to kiss the exposed area of his neck while wrapping her arms under his to start rubbing his chest.

"Sorry to interrupt Ichigo, but Isshin called he wants the three of you to come over for dinner!" Kisuke called out about twenty yards from the spring. He inwardly chuckled when the three quickly disentangled and submerged themselves below the water. 'Oh he is going to kill me for this one! If only I had my camera the look on his face is priceless!'

'KILL'

'THE'

'HATTED'

'MAN'

The trio thought in unison.

* * *

-Streets of Karakura-

The three young adults absent mindedly made their way towards the Kurosaki residence. Even though they were all holding hands, they each felt worlds apart from the others. So caught in their own musings they didn't even register the reactions they were bringing out of others. Some women blushed at the very attractive looking trio passed, while some just shook their heads disapprovingly. Most of the men were caught between admiration and flat out envy of the orange haired man. Comments such as 'Lucky Bastard' and 'Fucking asshole' could be heard from more than a few.

Coming out of his stupor as he reached the front door of his old home, he ducked on instinct as the family doctor sailed over his head attempting a drop kick.

"Will you ever grow up and stop doing that shit!" he roared kicking his downed old man in the side a lot harder than he usually does.

Grunting as he rolled into the fence in front of the home. He was slow getting back to his feet, 'What the hell has him so riled up?' Taking in all of their slightly flustered appearances and the fact that they wouldn't look each other in the eye, he came to his conclusion. 'OH MY GOD! He got caught doing something with those two!' He wanted to heckle his son he truly did, but judging from the recent kick he decided now was not the time.

"Nice kick my son, I truly have nothing left to teach you!" he groaned while rising to his feet. "Uzume-Chan I think Chiho-Chan would really like to see you." He grinned when she didn't hesitate and took off into the house fleeing the awkward atmosphere. "Yuzu almost has dinner ready so you two get your asses in there as well." He commanded gently pushing the two hesitant teens inside.

Thankfully for the young hybrid dinner seemed to pass smoothly, with him and his old man only having one fist fight. Uzume earned some brownie points with both him and Karin when she kicked Goat-Chin in the chops to stop the fight. After that everyone fell into comfortable banter until his dad let the nature of his, Orihime's, and Uzume's relationship slip. The results were expected Yuzu cried about losing her Onii-Chan, Karin called him a pervert and a player, and Chiho blushed before congratulating them. Squeezing his eyes closed and pinching the bridge of his nose to stave off the incoming migraine, he felt his pocket start to vibrate. Scowling at the number he slid his chair back before leaving the room.

"What can I do for you Ukitake Taicho?"

"Oh just checking in Ichigo."

"Everything is going fine. I have everything under control."

"I have no doubt that you do. The Sou-Taicho is a little ticked that you missed your monthly meeting with him."

"Fuck that was yesterday wasn't it?"

"Yes it was. So you should get here ASAP. Also you may want to bring your girlfriends, they are quite the gossip since Rukia and Soi-Fon received their winnings."

"They really did have a bet on my sexual orientation! I thought that was a fucking joke!"

"It wasn't, I'm sorry Ichigo-Kun I tried to stop it." He reassured but the mirth in his voice was a dead giveaway.

"GOD DAMNIT"

A/N: Thank you for all the reviews, favs, and follows. To all those that gave me shit for that last idea thank you, it really was a shit idea. I think I might need to bounce ideas off people before I post them, hopefully this chapter is up to snuff, I felt more comfortable writing this one than the last attempt. Let me know what you think and the poll will stay up until I get ready to write the chapter concerning the winner. Hope you enjoyed the chapter.


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: There is going to be very mature content this chapter just giving you a heads up.

Hanging up his phone with a heavy sigh, Ukitake Taicho decided to simply stare out his window. He could practically feel the young hybrid's anger through the phone. He just hoped Kisuke's little joke didn't have any negative consequences.

"Maybe I should have told him it was only a joke?" he quietly mused aloud.

"Told who it was only a joke Taicho?" A voice inquired from behind, nearly giving the Taicho of the 13th a heart attack.

"Rukia! You nearly gave me a heart attack!" he exclaimed before composing himself. "It's nothing just a little joke Urahara-San was playing on Kurosaki-San."

"Oh, speaking of those two I just came to put in for my vacation. I was hoping to spend it in Karakura, if that's okay?" She stated while slightly fidgeting with the hilt of her sword. It had been almost six months since she has seen her friends from the human world. Even though Ichigo came to the Seireitei once a month they rarely crossed paths, each being busy with work.

"Denied. The Sotaicho doesn't want any unnecessary contact with the humans. You know this Rukia, we have to let the humans live their lives without us constantly interfering." Ukitake recited the same explanation he's had to give for the last few months. 'Maybe Yamamoto-Dono knows about the Sekirei? It makes sense he hasn't denied requests to visit the human world in a long time.'

"It just doesn't make sense Ukitake-Taicho! Why is he enforcing this restriction now?! He allowed us to visit them for years and now its taboo again!" she vented out. She knew she shouldn't be yelling at her taicho, but she missed her friends terribly. It was Ichigo after all who helped her snap out of her depression that weighed her down for years.

"I don't know the answer to that Rukia. He made it very clear that anyone who breaks this rule will be severely punished." He wanted to give her a hug as he took in the dejected look on her face. He decided to cheer her up and give her something to gossip about. "Kurosaki-San should be here in a little while and he's bringing his girlfriends with him."

"WHAT! Girlfriends as in plural meaning more than one!" she screeched out all signs of earlier distress vanished and she was gone in a whisper of shunpo.

"Just one more thing I'm going to have to apologize to Ichigo-Kun for." He chuckled out as he watched Rukia bounce from rooftop to rooftop. 'Maybe I should have told the other shinigami a few days ago. Poor Ichigo is going to be bombarded by the others.'

* * *

-Kurosaki Clinic-

He absently stared at his cellphone, he truly wished that this was a joke. He knew Orihime would be fine, but taking Uzume to the other side seemed like a terrible idea. 'Damn it Ukitake you know I'm trying to keep this mission a secret.' He was knocked out of his thoughts when a gentle hand landed on his forearm. Looking at the owner he couldn't help the smile that spread across his face.

"What's up Orihime?" he asked a little too nonchalantly even to his own ears.

"I should be asking you that Ichigo-Kun. You were the one swearing and yelling after all." She answered back quietly. She could tell he was trying to hide his worrying. Seeing him to start to pull away from her, she knew he was about to throw up his walls and shut everyone out. So she moved in closer gripping his forearm tighter.

"What's wrong? You don't have to hide things from us. I want to help, so don't shut me out." She stated with a slightly pleading note in her voice.

Ruffling his hair in slight frustration as he stared at the beauty in front of him. He knew she was concerned and that he was slipping into his old ways of doing things on his own, instead of relying on others. It didn't make it easier though, as soon as she heard the problem he knew she would get side tracked. It was no secret to anyone that Orihime loved visiting the Seireitei and would jump at this chance to go. Staring into her quicksilver eyes he knew he was beaten.

"Ukitake wants us all in the Seireitei asap. By us all I mean you, me, and Uzume. I'm not sure what's going on, but I don't like it." He stated calmly and just as expected he could see the joy shinning in her silvery pools.

"Really!? Let's get going than shouldn't keep them waiting after all!" she cheered enthusiastically.

"Hold on." He started gripping her wrist as she turned to walk away. "You and me shouldn't be a problem, but what about Uzume? I don't want to put either you in danger and that is a very high possibility if your secret is found out."

'So that's what he was concerned about. Typical Ichigo-Kun always worrying' she mentally sighed. She could understand where he was coming from, but in her opinion he needed to have more faith and less pessimism. She moved in closer to him once again, but this time gave him a hug before mumbling into his chest.

"Everything is going to be fine Ichi-Kun." Looking up into his eyes she smiled. "Besides do you think anyone would be dumb enough to mess with one of your girlfriends?"

"Yes" he stated bluntly.

"Aww don't be that way, this could be a lot of fun you know?" she giggled while swatting him playfully on his chest. She could feel the tension draining from his body and she was absolutely thrilled that she had this kind of effect on him.

He loathed that she had this effect on him. With a few simple words and a smile his usually impenetrable resolve weakened before crumbling all together. He fully intended on blowing the summons off and going back to Shinto Teito, even if it pissed the old man off. Looking at the alluring creature in his grasp, he couldn't stop himself from giving in. with a heavy sigh he confirmed what she knew he was already going to say.

"Fine, get ready they want us there as soon as possible."

"Yay! I get too see Rangiku-Chan and everyone else!" she seen him visibly blanch at that. She grinned anyway she knew Rangiku wasn't his favorite person. Standing on her tip toes to give him a kiss seemed like a good idea, but she found herself getting lost in his embrace. A simple peck on the lips turned into more as she invited his tongue into her mouth. Without either noticing her golden wings slowly emerged from her back.

* * *

Meanwhile in the kitchen Uzume was having a great time. She thoroughly enjoyed the bantering with Karin, the girl had a dry sense of humor and was incredibly sarcastic. While Yuzu and Chiho seemed more like twins with their soft and caring natures, to prove her point they both swatted Issihin's hand when he reached for the last desert that was being saved for Ichigo. She was absolutely thrilled with the smile on Chiho's face, she finally found a family. She face palmed when Isshin started wailing to a poster about how his daughters were so mean to him. No matter how odd these people were she felt right at home with them. She was getting curious about Ichigo and Orihime, everyone heard him curse when he was on the phone. It was Orihime that went to check on him and that was almost ten minutes ago. Sliding her chair out discretely she slipped out during the commotion, only to be followed by the other four as soon as she turned her back. When they reached the living room their jaws nearly fell through the floor. Not only for the fact that Ichigo was kissing Orihime, but the wings sprouting from her back were breathtaking.

He was proud of his only son, not only did the boy save the world, he also had two hot girlfriends. He wasn't about to let things go any further though so he cleared his throat and chuckled when they jumped away from each other.

"So beautiful!" was the surprising comment from Karin, always the tomboy the others were shocked by her statement.

"What! It was!" she defended her girly outburst.

"Um Uzume-Chan do you also have um…" Yuzu shyly started she couldn't believe what she witnessed 'Orihime-Chan looked like an angel'

"Wings?" Uzume guessed receiving a nod she smiled.

"Yes I do! Do you want to see them?" she asked with a little mischief in her voice. Receiving another nod this time from all three younger girls, she made her way to Ichigo.

He slightly scowled at Uzume knowing very well on what she was planning to do. It's not that he minded kissing her, but doing so in front of his family was out of the question.

"Not happening." He stated holding up his hands to halt her movements.

"Aww, you don't want to disappoint them do you Ichi?" she replied sweetly while glancing at the three crest fallen teens. She inwardly grinned when she heard him slightly curse under his breath, before reaching out for her. Just like all the other times his kiss was filled with love, her white wings sprang forth instantly, filling the room with a soft white glow.

Pulling away from his first sekirei he smiled in satisfaction at her dazed appearance. Even though he was extremely embarrassed about kissing her in front of others, he was happy that he could do that to her.

"Wow that's pretty incredible! Looks like you found yourself a pair of angels! I truly have nothing left to teach you!" Isshin cheered

"Way to kill the moment Goat-Chin." Karin lazily drawled out while receiving nods of agreement from Chiho and Yuzu.

"What I di…" he started before being slammed into the ground.

"Gotta keep your guard up old man!" Ichigo laughed not being able to resist cheap shotting his dad. "Besides we're leaving here in a little bit."

"Oh, and where are we going?" Uzume asked a little surprised, deep down she was hoping he would say back to his apartment. Even with Orihime involved she was getting eager to explore Ichigo's body further.

"We've been summoned to the Seireitei, we'll be leaving in a couple minutes." He stated focusing his reiatsu changing his clothes into his shihakusho complete with Tensa Zangetsu strapped across his back.

"Whoa what the hell!" Uzume and Chiho exclaimed. Both were caught completely by surprise when he changed.

"Sorry should've warned ya first. I have to be in uniform when I report." He stated rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. Over the years it just became a habit of his to change right before going to meet Yama-Ji. Without any more explanation he opened his garganta and held out his hands for the other two.

* * *

-Shinto Teito-

Sitting in his personal high rise Higa's mind wandered all over the place. First he had to stave off the headache the pharmaceutical board always presented. They were relentless with their insistence of him finding out MBI's secrets to further their own company. The other thing that plagued his mind was Kurosaki, the man was a complete enigma. No matter how many times he had his best friend Kakizaki use his sekirei to find out information about the man nothing ever turned up. It seemed like whoever was guarding Kurosaki's secrets set up a never ending source of roadblocks. Hearing a knock at the door brought his full attention back to the present. He knew who it was only one person visited him in his personal quarters.

"Come in Kakizaki." He casually called out.

"How are you this evening Higa-San?" the bespectacled man greeted. He always felt a kinship with Higa even during their days at the university, that's why he always complied with his requests. He also knew that Higa never had a true friend so he always tried to fill that role.

"Why are you here? You usually don't come by without a reason." Higa asked

"Right to the point tonight. Very well Kochou was finally able to dig up something on Kurosaki. He has family in Karakura, a father and two little sisters to be precise."

"Hmm it's not much, but I may be able to use it. I'm getting impatient trying to contact him, so I think I'm going to go with another method to get his attention." He answered back cryptically. He really preferred to talk to him first, but with the boards constant harassment he wanted results. Adding strong allies like Kurosaki's sekirei would make things easier for him.

"Are you sure you want to go that route? It is against the rules of the game after all." Kakizaki inquired fixing the glasses on his nose.

"Don't worry, as long as everything goes according to plan nothing will be traced to us. Is there anything else?"

"Of course we were also able to get his cellphone number from the MBI database. Would you like me to reach out to him first?"

"That won't be necessary, just go with our original plan." Higa responded with a dismissive wave. Turning around to stare across the city he ended the conversation. If all went right he would have MBI in the palm of his hand.

* * *

-Sogyoku Hill-

Stepping out of his garganta he took in a deep breath of the Seireitei's reiatsu saturated air. It always brought a nostalgic feeling to him, being in the same dimension where he fought so many pivotal fights in his short career. Looking at the setting sun he smiled at the majestic sight the military strong hold presented. It was truly a massive place that even with his speed he doubted he could see it all in one day.

"Holy shit where are we?" an awed Uzume blurted out. The pristine marble buildings with their intricate designs was breath taking to say the least, along with its sheer size, and the view from where they were standing, it was almost too much to take in.

"This is the Seireitei Uzume-Chan! The place where Ichi-Kun reports to!" Orihime cheered rushing towards the edge of the cliff. No matter how many times she visited this was always her favorite spot.

Scowling at the new nickname he wanted to roll his eyes at her enthusiasm. He knew she loved it here, but that didn't mean she should act like a little kid about it. Even with that thought in his mind he truly loved seeing her happy. He was unsurprised when several members of the Onmitsukidō appeared along with their commander.

"Yo, Soi-Fon its just us." He calmly stated throwing the petite Taicho a wave. It was fairly standard for her to show up when his garganta appeared just to make sure all was well.

"Don't 'Yo' me idiot! You were supposed to be here yesterday! Do you enjoy fucking up my schedule!?" the twin braided Taicho commanded. Setting her gaze on the unfamiliar person accompanying them she started again. "Why have you brought a stranger here!?"

"What the hell do you mean Ukitake Taicho told me to bring them? You should know you won the bet after all!" he gritted out through clenched teeth.

"Bet? I have no clue what the fuck you're talking about." She returned dropping her hand to the hilt of her sword. The action was quickly mirrored by the other ten members of her squad.

'I'm kicking Ukitake, Geta-Boshi, and Goat-Chin square in the nuts for this!' he thought in a slight rage. Seeing their reaction he held up his hands in a placating manner.

"Hold on! This is a misunderstanding it seems that I fell for a joke set up by Urahara." He inwardly grinned, if there was one person in existence that could draw Soi-Fon's ire it was Kisuke. The rage he seen in her eyes at the mention of the hatted man let him know he was off the hook.

"I see." She growled out. She truly hated that man with every fiber of her being the very mention of him made her blood boil. Going back through her Intel she heard rumors that Kurosaki had gotten himself two girlfriends and they would be accompanying him here. She was slightly surprised to see Orihime was one of them considering her obvious infatuation with the boy went unnoticed for so long. Reading the other girls reiatsu she was surprised to see that it was higher than Orihime's, but had an almost identical feel to it.

"This is Uzume and I'm sure you already noticed her reiatsu. She is like Orihime and had powers awakened in her by accident." He lied smoothly while motioning to the busty brunette to his left.

"Whatever." Soi-Fon replied she already deemed the girl not to be a threat. Besides if she was it would be her last mistake coming here. "I think I can feel Matsumoto-Fukutaicho heading this way. Anyway I have more important things to be doing than talking to you! Get your ass to the first division right now, your tardiness is highly unappreciated!"

Feeling slightly nervous at the tense atmosphere, Uzume couldn't help but feel a slight amount of anger with the dark haired woman. 'What the fuck is her problem! Who the hell talks to people like that?!'

"What a bitch." She mumbled out. Hearing Ichigo snicker she flushed slightly in embarrassment, she didn't mean to say that out loud.

"She can be th…" he started only to be cut off by the arrival of three others. Seeing who it was he groaned in agitation. Not only were Rangiku and Rukia there, but Renji's nosy ass decided to come as well.

* * *

"What the hell do you three want?" he grated out already wishing to go back home.

"What the hell makes you think we want anything with you Strawberry?" Renji replied with a cocky smirk. Knowing the response he was going to receive wasn't going to be a verbal one he shunpoed back ten feet from the group. It was no surprise when Ichigo followed him and tried to deliver an axe kick to the top of his skull.

Turning away from the brawling men Rangiku laid her crystal blue eyes on the two women before her. She let out an ear splitting squeal before glomping Orihime in a suffocating hug.

"I'm so excited I was hoping you were one of the girls Rukia was talking about!" she rambled on with the flailing shield user in her grasp.

"C-Can't b-breath" Orihime wheezed out starting to turn blue.

Quickly dodging a swipe from the other female the well-endowed tenths Fuku-taicho took up a defensive stance drawing her sword.

"What the hell was that for?!"

"You were killing her!" Uzume retorted taking in the other woman's impressive build she exclaimed "And holy shit your boobs are huge!"

Looking at the gentle healer, who was taking in large amounts of air on the ground next to her, she conceded and sheathed her sword.

"Sorry about that Orihime-Chan! I got a little carried away!" she chuckled out. It wasn't her fault she truly loved the younger girl like a sister. Looking at the two males still throwing punches at each other she decided it was time to ditch them.

"Come on lets go we have a lot of things to talk about!" she cheered latching on to Orihime and disappearing. Rukia followed suit grabbing Uzume and taking off.

After five minutes the fight had come to an end with Renji laying in a heap on the ground. Looking around he noticed that they were the only ones there.

"GODDAMIT RANGIKU!" He roared before also taking off, but towards the first division instead.

* * *

Rangiku's Living Quarters-

Hearing a distant roar on the winds made the strawberry blonde chuckle nervously. She knew that Ichigo was her friend, but she also knew he didn't approve of her corrupting Orihime. Which in her opinion is what a good big sister did to prepare the younger sibling for the world.

"I think he's mad!" Uzume stated feeling a quick flash of anger through their bond. Glancing at Orihime confirmed that she felt it too.

"He'll be fine. Trust me in a couple minutes he'll cool down." Rukia state sagely. She knew Ichigo's moods better than most and this would blow over quickly. Quirking an eyebrow as Rangiku made her way to the kitchen, she let out a sigh of relief when Orihime made no move to follow her. Those two cooking together made her stomach grumble in protest. She wanted to face palm when she remerged with a large bottle of sake. It wasn't that she was against drinking, but Matsumoto took it to whole other level.

Setting the bottle in the middle of a table while they each took their seats. She wasted no time in filling four saucers and passing them out. Watching Orihime look at hers with slight anxiety made her sigh. Shifting her eyes to the new comer as she drained hers in one go made her nod her head approvingly. Wasting no time she slammed her drink as well, before quickly refilling their glasses. With a devilish smirk she started the conversation.

"So the most important question first, how big is he?"

"Rangiku-Chan!" Orihime squeaked with a bright blush erupting across her face.

"I don't want to know how big Ichigo is!" Rukia replied also with a blush spreading across her face.

"Really big." Uzume replied casually seeing the others slightly slack jawed she shrugged. "What we bath together and when I wake up before him he's usually at full attention so I peek. Don't look at me like that Hime I see you sneak peeks too when we're in the tub."

"I-I do not!" The accused stammered out hiding her face in her hands. It was true of course, but that didn't mean she wanted others to know!

"Uh-Huh, sure you don't." Rangiku started in a gentle voice patting the younger female on the back. "I guess it's your loss I would definitely be taking a good long look though!"

"WHAT!" the other three shrieked in unison.

"Oh don't give me that shit you three! Ichigo has definitely got a lot hotter over the years. After all that training he has to be quite delicious under all those robes!" she rebutted. If there was one thing she respected it was sex appeal and in her opinion Ichigo had plenty of it.

"Okay, changing subjects how did you meet Ichigo?" Rukia asked directing her question at Uzume. She scrutinized the other woman carefully. 'Got to make sure the idiot isn't getting in over his head.'

"I was walking home one night when I was attacked by this giant ape looking monster in a white mask. I was completely scared shitless and made a run for it, but it was useless. No matter how hard I tried I couldn't get away. Finally when I ran out of steam and kind of collapsed on the ground a black blur came from nowhere. It was the most amazing thing I had ever seen, some orange haired man completely dominated the monster and saved me. After talking to him for a little bit there was no doubt in my mind he was my destined one." Uzume finished with a smile. She decided to tell them about the first hollow she had ever seen and just changed the details to suit her needs. Looking at the other three she knew they bought it, Orihime was smiling and the other two were nodding their heads.

"Can't say that's surprising, he does have a tendency to save lots of people." Rukia stated taking a sip of her drink. 'Of course she was somebody he saved. She seems to be decent enough.'

"So you guys bath together?" The busty blonde asked out of nowhere. While hearing about their first meeting was interesting and all, she wanted juicier details.

* * *

"Not so fast! I have a question that has been bugging me. What exactly is Ichigo?" This question had been plaguing her mind for a while, but she hadn't mustered up the courage to ask him yet.

"Well Ichigo is unique." Rukia stated bluntly

"Yeah I get that, but there's more that people aren't telling me!" she huffed she hated and when people avoided questions.

"That's a really long story, but I have something that can help you." Rangiku sighed getting to her feet and walking over to a bookshelf. Lingering for a minute she finally found what she was looking for. It was a simple black leather bound book with the words 'The Protector' written in crimson red on the front, under the title was stitched by Urahara Kisuke.

"What's that Rangiku-Chan?" the gentle healer asked

"What you guys didn't know? Urahara wrote a book about Ichigo and all his adventures." She replied back quirking an eyebrow.

"Why would he do that!? Ichi-Kun is going to be really mad!" the Auburn haired girl ranted waving her arms around.

"Why does that man do anything Orihime? To make money." The ice wielder answered pinching the bridge of her nose. 'Ichigo is going to kill him there are a lot of personal things in that book.'

Matsumoto pouted slightly when her question seemed to be lost in the conversation. To add to her annoyance her new drinking partner turned on a reading lamp and made herself comfortable on the couch with the book. Looking across the table made her smile when Orihime took another drink. 'A drunk Orihime is a really fun Orihime!'

* * *

-Yamamoto's Office-

Signing the last bit of paperwork for the day, the ancient shinigami let out a long sigh, while clenching and unclenching his right hand to get the blood flowing in it again. He was highly displeased that Kurosaki missed their scheduled appointment. Over the years he had started to enjoy their meetings. At first glance the teenager seemed like just another punk with too much power, but once you got beneath the surface he was more complex than others gave him credit for. He was intelligent and able to read an enemy and formulate strategies on the fly. A trait that not many could boast about. Another thing most didn't know is that while being born naturally talented the young man had a relentless work ethic. When learning new techniques he would train ruthlessly until he got it or someone made him stop. All in all the boy reminded him a lot of himself. Hearing a knock at the door and not being able to sense a presence behind it he knew who it was.

"Enter." He barked out in his gravelly voice.

"Good evening Yama-Ji, sorry I'm late." Ichigo started casually while entering the office. Walking over to a small table he set his blade next the Sotaicho's own legendary zanpakutou, it had become a sign of mutual respect between the two. Not many were able to be that close to Ryūjin Jakka and live to tell about it.

"Why are you late?" he demanded long being accustomed to his lack of formalities. 'Brat spends too much time around Shunsui.'

"Something came up in the human world that required my complete attention." He simplified

"You mean the Sekirei?" the long bearded commander inquired rising from his seat. He quietly made his way towards his personal balcony.

"H-How did you know?" he stammered out. 'Fucking Ukitake he gave me his word!"

"Don't assume me a fool Kurosaki." He started turning to his company and opening his eyes. "The Sekirei go farther back than what has been occurring recently."

Seeing the young man contemplate his words, he decided it best to continue on.

"Long before shinigami there were hollows. It was truly dark times and the balance of the worlds was near the point of toppling. The Soul King came up with the solution of empowering deceased souls with power to combat the hollows in his stead. The plan would take time decades, centuries even. That's when the Sekirei descended to earth, after witnessing their abilities, the soul king offered them a deal. For their sanctuary on earth they had to eliminate the hollows…"

"Wait so you're saying that the original guardians of souls were the sekirei?" Ichigo asked with a furrowed brow. "I've fought a couple Sekirei already there's no way they could accomplish that kind of task."

"Hmph you've fought shadows of what they truly are. If the information Kisuke has relayed to me is correct someone has found a way to limit their powers. The originals were truly fierce warriors and protected human life without mercy. As you know most Sekirei seek out their destined ones, well it was no different back then. As the years passed the original sekirei died out buried beneath the sands of time. What they left behind was far more interesting, their offspring were exceptional in their human life as well as after death. More times than not unlocking the powers of their ancestors and continuing the legacy of destroying hollows."

"So all Shinigami are descendants of Sekirei?" the confused hybrid asked rubbing his temples.

"I didn't say that, haven't you been listening? The Sekirei were the beginning, but the Soul King's plan of empowering souls never ceased. After a few decades the first true Shinigami was born, with the help of another recently born Shinigami the Zanpakuto came in to existence. Sharing the Zanpakuto with the empowered offspring brought the two factions together. Under the rule of the strongest the divisions started and later became known as the Gotei 13." Cracking an eye open he seen the boy cyphering through the new information. He was pleased to see that he was comprehending it.

"Didn't you start the Gotei 13?"

"Yes."

"How fucking old are you?"

Lashing out at the boy for his cheek, he was slightly pissed that he missed him. Getting ready to see who was truly more powerful, he stopped when the hybrid brought up his hands in surrender.

"Sorry, sorry I couldn't resist. So you're saying some shinigami carry the lineage and some don't. I guess that would apply to humans as well seeing as how only a select few can be Ashikabi."

"Very perceptive and also correct. Just having the blood of a sekirei in your family tree doesn't mean you will be a shinigami upon death. Centuries of breeding have diluted it to the point of only a handful out of a thousand may become Shinigami."

"So with this new generation of Sekirei arising that could all change? Why are you telling me this? If you plan on another genocide we will no longer be considered allies." He finished with a hard edge to his voice. He was in no hurry to take on the old man, but he'd be damned if he let any more loved ones die.

"Strong words someday you may have to back them up. I will let you know if we do meet on a battlefield it is very likely that we will take this world with us when we perish. To answer your question I will make no move towards the Sekirei or Shinto Teito as long as the balance is kept. I'm putting my faith in you that you can handle this situation without our interference." He stated firmly. 'Defiant just like I was at that age.'

"Of course Yama-ji, could you do me a favor and keep this from Mayuri? No telling what that crazy asshole will do."

"No need all records of the Sekirei had been destroyed years ago and Kisuke is masking their presence in Shinto Teito." He confirmed

"All right thank you Yama-Ji. Speaking of Sekirei I need to find mine before Matsumoto talks them into doing something stupid." Retrieving his Zanpakuto he gave a final wave before disappearing off the balcony.

"I can only imagine the offspring the boy and a sekirei would produce." He thought with an uncharacteristic smile. "Got to make sure I see that day, who knows what kind of chaos those kids would create.

* * *

Jumping across the rooftops Ichigo already had a bead on his two girlfriends. Thankfully in his opinion the meeting with Yama-Ji took longer than expected. Which lead to most Shinigami already being in for the night, no matter how many times he visited he was always swarmed with people wanting to either talk, spar, or date him. He hated it. Arriving at Squad 10 he silently snickered when he seen Toshiro's office light still on. 'Probably catching up on paperwork that Matsumoto left.' Foregoing a conversation with the pint sized captain he continued on. Landing silently outside the door he carefully pried it open. Peeking his head in he was instantly enveloped in a smothering hug, fully expecting it to be Rangiku he pushed the person off. Looking down at the person on the floor he wanted to kick himself it was Orihime.

"Shit sorry about that Orihime." He blurted out kneeling down to pick her up. Smelling the alcohol on her breath he just sighed. He drank occasionally but right now he didn't need any shenanigans.

"Owwie Ichigo-Kun is so mean." She pouted from the floor.

"Yeah I know I said sorry. Where is everyone else at?" he asked

"Weellll Rukia left a while ago, Uzume is reading a book, and I don't know where Rangiku-Chan is." She slightly slurred out

Looking around he seen Uzume, but it looked like she was asleep with a book resting on her stomach. He just smiled and turned back to his second sekirei.

"I'm going to get ready for bed. Do you want to stay here or do you want to come back with me to the 13th?"

"I want to stay her! Ichi-Kun has to stay here also!" she rambled out dragging her Ashikabi to a futon that had been set out earlier.

"I have my own barracks why would I stay her?"

"Because me and Uzume are staying here." She stated as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

* * *

He just sighed and ruffled his hair he wasn't in the mood to argue or in the mood to carry Uzume to his barracks. Quietly walking to the couch lifted the busty brunette bridal style after setting the book on a nearby table. Softly padding across the floor he gently rested her on one side of the bed giving her a kiss on the forehead before he stood back up. Stripping down to only his hakama he crawled in next to her, moments later Orihime joined them in only her shirt and panties. Leaning over he gave her a quick kiss also. Laying on his back he let his eyes close and began going through everything he had recently learned about the sekirei. After about ten minutes of contemplation his mind began to get foggy and the gentle caress of sleep started to claim him.

She quietly stared at the man next to her, watching as his muscular chest would rise and fall with each breath. She let a small smile grace her features, these had truly been the happiest days of her life and it was all thanks to the man next to her. Biting her bottom lip nervously she rolled the blankets back carefully as to not wake the other two. After hearing what Uzume said early she had also wanted to have a peek at her ashikabi. She knew her actions were bold and she had no clue how Ichigo would react if he caught her. The alcohol brought down her inhibitions and her curiosity spurred her on. Gently tugging at the sash of his hakama she was relieved when it came undone easily. Before she could go any farther a hand gripped her wrist, though it wasn't the one she expected. Looking across Ichigo's torso she was met with the grinning visage of Uzume, who had mischief dancing in her eyes.

"What the hell are you two doing?" Ichigo quietly hissed out. He was a little pissed about being woken up just as he got to sleep.

"Nothing." They both replied innocently while they proceeded to undo his pants and start dragging them down.

"What the hell knock that off!"

"Shhh Ichi-Kun don't fight us this is for you after all." Uzume replied in a hushed tone with a finger over her lips.

He wanted to protest further when something deep within him urged him to keep his fucking mouth shut. His heart started hammering in his chest at the sight the two presented as they painstakingly slowly removed his pants. His breaths were coming out in short pants, and his nerves were starting to kick up. This wasn't the first time either of them had seen him naked, but what they were doing at the moment was on a whole different level. He slightly stiffened when he felt Uzume grip the base of his length. He could feel his blood slowly engorging his member. He watched in fascination as she gave it an experimental pump, eliciting more growth to occur. The look of delight on their faces had his mind coming up short of any cohesive thought. Feeling a second hand join in he looked down to see Orihime also take a firm hold on him. If he didn't know any better he could have sworn that he seen a slight look of competitiveness cross the girls faces. It was clumsy at first, but soon the two girls fell into a rhythm of slowly pumping him.

Their ministrations had his head lulling back and eyes closing. He was a healthy young male so he had explored masturbation before, but having someone else do it for you was out of this world in his opinion. Starting to get his breathing under control was short lived as he felt a warm and wet sensation drag the entire length of his manhood. Snapping his eyes open he looked down at a smiling Uzume who was sitting of to the side and letting Orihime have her way with him at the moment. Switching his lust filled gaze he groaned at the sight of Orihime with blushing cheeks bent over with her rear in the air while she explored him with her tongue and hands. He growled slightly when she finally engulfed him and started bobbing up and down.

His vision was completely blocked as Uzume straddled his face, catching a whiff of her sex had a hunger building deep inside of him. Intertwining his arms around her silky smooth thighs he brought her down to his waiting mouth. Wasting no time his tongue darted out and gave her a slow long lick. He was instantly addicted to the slightly tangy taste, feeling her slightly tremble above him he repeated the process, while changing speed and direction as he went. Noticing that she reacted harder when he hit a certain spot he began to concentrate solely on a little nub at the top of her moistened slit.

"Nuhhuh Ichi right there, right there!" Uzume panted out drawing closer to the edge of her sanity. She could feel him increasing his abuse on her sensitive bundle of nerves, it was almost too much for her to take. Her senses were overloading as she dug her finger nails into his chest and her vision burst into a million pieces of shining light. She barely avoided toppling on top of him and Orihime. The sight of her ashikabi had her transfixed as her sister sekirei was working him at a frenzied pace with her hand and mouth. If the way Ichigo's hips were involuntary jerking upwards were an indication he was close as well.

Feeling Uzume relax and slump above him, he slowly cleaned up the remnants of her release before switching his undivided attention back to the busty auburn haired girl. She had his hands gripping the sheets and his toes curling, it took all of his restraint not to grab her head and drive himself into her throat repeatedly. Against his best efforts his hips would jerk once in a while, he felt slightly bad when he would her choke slightly at the intrusion. He could feel his testicles ascending slightly and swelling he knew he was at his limits to endure this bliss.

"O-Orihime move I'm…" he never got the rest of his statement out when she stared up at him with her silver eyes and his thick length still engulfed. He lost it as his eyes started to roll back in his head and his breathing was nonexistent. Hearing a giggle he looked down just in time to see Orihime swipe the last bit of his seed from the side of her mouth, before popping the digit inside and swallowing the entire load. The lustful smile she gave him afterwards had him coming to life again.

Quickly he sat up and switched their positions roughly pushing her on her back, earning himself a slight squeal of delight. He wasted no time as he tore her panties away and removed her shirt, latching onto the pulse point on her neck earned him a satisfying moan from the busty girl. Kissing downwards he let his hands kneed into the soft flesh of her generous bust before taking an erect nipple into his mouth, making the young healer writhe under him. Moving one of his hands lower he let his middle finger slid along her soaked core a few times before slowly inserting it. He growled as he imagined that slick tight heat engulfed around his member, but before he did that he wanted to pay her back for earlier. Relinquishing the slightly abused nipple with an audible pop, he slowly kissed his way down her stomach stopping to slightly nibble her hip bone as he went. Finally reaching his destination he was met with the obvious signs of her arousal, combined with her fragrant sent had his mind fogging over.

Just like with Uzume he found himself loving the taste of her it was sweet and uniquely Orihime. Feeling a hand under his waist he shifted his hips a little to give Uzume better access to his reawakened member. With Orihime's nails digging into his scalp he doubled his efforts simultaneously pumping two fingers into her core while licking and sucking at the engorged ball of nerves. He felt pride swell deep within him at the string of incoherent mumbling and silent screams that rolled off her tongue. He was rewarded for his efforts when she squeezed his head with her velvety soft thighs and arched her back releasing on his awaiting tongue. Turning his attention back to the girl still stroking him a lustful grin split his face, which was matched with one of her own. Laying on her back she spread her legs wide for her destined one. She knew he was big and that it was going to hurt, but she would gladly pay that price to be with him. Looking up her heart leapt in her chest, Ichigo had a serene look on his face as he lowered his lips to hers kissing her deep and thoroughly. Feeling him pushing slightly through her folds she squirmed to better accommodate him.

Hearing the front door being thrown open the trio dove for the blankets and covered themselves up.

"Ha! Busted you perverts!" cheered a very inebriated Rangiku.

A/N: Well that got away from me a little at the end, blame the muse not the writer lol. Anyway thanks for all the reviews, favs and follows. Hope you enjoyed the chapter.


	12. Chapter 12

His eyebrow twitched in annoyance as he stared across the desk at Toshiro. It had been three hours since he was called to meet with the vertically challenged Taicho. Looking around the office he nearly rolled his eyes at the stacks of paperwork not so subtlety hidden under the sofa. To add to his annoyance he could hear Rangiku, Orihime and Uzume trying to whisper to each other and occasionally snickering. It's not that he was against what him and his sekirei were doing, truth be told it was one of the greatest things he had ever experienced. Dealing with everything that happened during their should have been private moment was a real pain in his ass.

"For the hundredth time Kurosaki! Why did you blast a cero through the side of my barracks!?" Hitsugaya demanded, severely at the end of his already short patience.

"For the hundredth, two hundredth and three hundredth time it's none of your fucking business!" Ichigo fired back just as annoyed.

Once again silence fell over the office as the two males simply started their glaring contest once again.

"Rangiku?" Uzume whispered

"Hmm?"

"Why is that little kid yelling at Ichi? Is he the Taicho's son or something?" Uzume innocently asked. In her mind she couldn't comprehend how such a little kid rose to the rank of Taicho.

"Hahahaha! That's priceless!" Matsumoto busted out of her attempts to be quiet. Trying to control herself she looked back to the desk only to find both men glaring at her. While Toshiro was fuming having obviously heard the question asked, Ichigo looked like he wanted to outright throttle her. Long having been accustomed to Toshiro glaring at her couldn't stop her from being a little shaken at Ichigo's death glare. It's not like she didn't feel bad about what she did. In all honesty she thought they would be in there kissing at most, the thought of them doing that definitely never crossed her mind.

A little shiver went down her spine as the image of a red orb growing on the end of Ichigo's index finger crossed her mind. If she had lesser reflexes she probably would have been torn in half by the beam that ripped through the front of her apartment, completely destroying the courtyard before detonating at the front gates of Squad Ten. It's been eight hours since the incident and yet the murderous look in the young hybrids eyes had yet to abate.

"MATSUMOTO!"

"Hehe would you look at the time Taicho! We have an SWA meeting gotta go!" She quickly shot out, while grabbing the wrists of the other girls and disappearing in a whisper of shunpo.

"How the hell do you put up with her?" Ichigo asked rubbing his temples in annoyance.

"If you had better aim I wouldn't have to anymore." Hitsugaya sighed out before continuing. "Now will you please tell me what happened so I can make a report? If it's too personal I will make something up, but I need to know why you tried to kill my FukuTaicho."

"Well she kind of walked in on me, Orihime and Uzume doing something intimate." He answered with a small blush staining his cheeks.

"Huh?" he replied back slightly confused before his mind grasped what he was trying to say. "Holy shit! Why the cero though?"

"Well it wasn't exactly an accident that she barged in. She came in yelling and calling us perverts. I guess I may have overdone it." He sighed out slumping into the chair.

"Don't worry about it. I'll just fill out that she surprised while you were sleeping and you did it out of reflex." Toshiro answered pinching the bridge of his nose. Honestly now that he knew he really couldn't blame Ichigo for overreacting.

"Thanks Toshiro, I really appreciate it." Ichigo stated standing up and making his way towards the door. He was relieved that that was over and he wouldn't have to explain it to anymore people. After Toshiro's report he might have to take another physc test, after all lashing out with deadly force for being surprised wasn't exactly permissible behavior.

"No problem just tell Isshin I said hello the next time you see him." Toshiro responded waiving off his apology. It was the least he could do for the son of his former Taicho and to pay him back for Rangiku's actions.

* * *

Walking through the halls of squad ten Ichigo was more than aware of all the stares he was receiving. While it was nothing new for him it was still unsettling on some levels. Seeing three female shinigami giggling and looking at him might have gone unnoticed in past years, now it was painfully obvious what they were talking about. With a small wave to them he just kept on his way hoping to find somewhere more private.

'Looks like I have some time to kill since once again that harpy has kidnapped my girlfriends.' He thought irritably. He didn't really care where he went as long as it was quiet or he could beat the shit out of something. Absently he wondered if he should go to squad two and practice his Hakuda with Soi-Fon, over the years he actually enjoyed their spars. She didn't ask any personal questions and she was always ready for a good fight. As odd as it was when they were fighting was the only time they truly got along with each other. That idea went out the window when he remembered Rangiku saying something about a SWA meeting and he was pretty sure that Soi-Fon always attended them faithfully.

Changing directions and plans he shunpoed towards the gates of the Seireitei. He knew that the meetings always went long and that they would come up with some hair brained scheme to make money, which would keep them occupied even longer.

Nearing the gate he dropped out of shunpo to have a conversation with the giant that guarded the entrance Jidanbo. He is an extremely large, muscular man, who easily towers above thirty feet. His hair is tied into a pony-tail, which extends down his waist. He has long sideburns, which continue down onto his neck and long enough to be tied up in small pony-tail like tufts. He wears armor on his left shoulder and upper arm, plus a red hat with tassels. The left side of his chest his left exposed by his uniform

"Yo, how ya been big guy?" the hybrid inquired.

"Ahh if it isn't my favorite ryoka Kurosaki Ichigo. How long has it been? A month since you last came through my gates?" The large man questioned.

"Yeah something like that anything new going on with you?"

"No not really just watching the gates. What districts are you going to search today?" He replied there was a note of sadness in his voice as he asked his question. It really broke the big guy's heart every time Ichigo went out into the Rukongai to search for his mother, only to come back several hours later with a disappointed look on his face. It's been years since he started and he hadn't even covered a twentieth of the districts. He just wished that he finally would find who he was searching for so that he no longer had to witness the look of absolute loneliness when he returned.

"The west seventieth district. I have a feeling today is going to be the day." He replied with a little fake enthusiasm. Even though the number of the district changed it was the same line he told himself every time he left.

-Kuchiki Manor-

Uzume was dumbfounded at the size of the mansion they were entering. She has seen enormous buildings in her life, but this was no mere run of the mill modern building. This was a mansion straight out of the old samurai movies she watched growing up. Everything about this place screamed wealth and arrogance. She couldn't believe this was the house of Rukia who for the short time she had known her didn't act like a rich and stuffy noble at all. Following the Rangiku through the halls the trio was stopped in their tracks when a cold voice reached their ears.

"May I ask what you three are doing wandering through my home?" Byakuya inquired with narrowed eyes. It was like clockwork every month he would catch random female shinigami wondering his halls.

"Sorry Kuchiki Taicho, but Rukia asked us to meet her here and we managed to get lost admiring your estate." Rangiku answered with a slight bow, while reciting the same lie they always gave him when they were caught. Honestly everyone knew that Byakuya was aware that they held their SWA meetings in his house, but was still clueless as to where exactly they met. So as a precaution they would tell him they were meeting Rukia, at which time they would be led to her quarters. After that it was a secret passage away to their official meeting room.

"I do not believe you." He replied emotionlessly. He wanted to put an end to these damnable get-togethers, but first he needed to know where they were held and how these insufferable women kept sneaking past his security.

"Well it's the truth and by the way Ichigo is around here looking for you." Rangiku quickly lied she knew if there was one thing Byakuya hated it was being harassed by Ichigo. Ichigo meanwhile remained completely oblivious to how much he aggravated the stoic man. She inwardly grinned when the slight amount of annoyance passed through his eyes before being replaced with an impassive look.

"You know the way to her room correct?" receiving an affirmative nod he continued. "Very well enjoy your stay I have other business to attend to at squad six."

Watching him quickly shunpo away she snickered to herself. "Too easy."

"What does he have against Ichigo?" Uzume asked also seeing his reaction to the mention of her Ashikabi.

"Well they have a rather complicated past. It's all in that book that I loaned you, you probably haven't reached that part yet." Rangiku answered not really in the mood for telling stories.

"Wait he's the one that stabbed Ichigo and removed the powers Rukia gave him!" Uzume exclaimed, that memory was fresh in her mind it was the last thing she read before she fell asleep.

"Trust me it gets much better later in the story." Rangiku replied she always wished that she was there when Ichigo and Byakuya fought. Looking up ahead she noticed Yachiru pop out of the floor and scamper through a hidden panel in the wall. Shaking her head she smiled she would never figure out how she managed to make all the passages that lay throughout the Kuchiki grounds. Noticing that the pink haired girl was waiting for them so they ended their conversation and picked up their pace.

* * *

-Meeting Room-

"All right everyone take your seats this session of the Shinigami's Woman's Association is now under order." The vice Chairwoman Ise Nanao stated banging a gavel on her podium.

"As all of you can tell we have a new person present today, will you please stand up and introduce yourself." The eights Fukutaicho stated pointing her gavel at Uzume.

"Hello everyone, my name is Uzume its's nice to meet you." The busty 10th announced slightly fidgeting with the hem of her shirt while being scrutinized by a room full of other females.

"Can I ask why she is allowed here? As far as I can tell she is not a Shinigami." Soi-Fon inquired the coldness in her voice cutting through the room.

"Well Orihime isn't a Shinigami either and she's been an official member since she was fifteen." Unohana answered in her calm pleasant voice.

"She was made an honorary member for her contributions during the war, this is hardly the same situation." Soi-Fon bit back. She couldn't put her finger on it but something about the girl rubbed her the wrong way.

"She is dating the war hero Kurosaki Ichigo, so that earns her enough credit for it be put to a vote." Nanao stated.

After that statement Uzume seemed to zone out from the conversation. 'Did they just say that Ichigo was a war hero? How is that possible he's so young? Is that where he got those scars from?' Absent mindedly she pulled the book out of her bag and stared down at it. It might as well been a holy grail of Ichigo information, because no matter what she asked the answer was always the same 'It's in the book.' She glanced over at Orihime who seemed to be reading her mind and received a small smile from her busty sister sekirei. She really could care less if she was made a member in whatever kind of club this was, all she wanted to do was find a quiet place and read. Being in this dimension made her feel kind of put out, everyone here knew infinitely more about her lover than she did. Closing her eyes she tried to get a feel for Ichigo, but it was incredibly difficult like he was really far away. What she was able to feel wasn't very encouraging it felt like he was frantically searching for something. Seeing Orihime with her eyes closed she knew the younger girl was doing the same thing.

"Orihime can you tell what's wrong with Ichigo?" she asked completely oblivious to the conversation coming to a halt around her.

"It feels like he's really far away and that he's searching for something." The quicksilver eyed girl answered back. Her brows were furrowed and she had her chin in her hand deep in thought.

"Wait! You two can feel Ichigo's reiatsu, how!?" Rukia exclaimed. No one was able to trace Ichigo anymore for these two to be able to do it was downright bizzare.

"That is very interesting. Mayuri-Sama would be very interested in this." Nemu stated in her monotone voice more to herself than anyone else.

"Nemu-San anything discussed in these meetings is highly confidential." Unohana warned with her signature smile while leveling the black haired woman with a lethal gaze. She seen the way Orihime stiffened at the mention of Kurotsuchi and she knew very well he would want to experiment after learning such information.

"O-Of course Unohana-Taicho." Nemu uncharacteristically stuttered out.

"She's creepier than Miya." Uzume whispered into the young healer's ear who nodded in agreement.

"Well I don't exactly know how, but after our first kiss I was just sort of able to." Orihime answered with a slight blush rising to her cheeks. She was being vague, but it wasn't a lie either.

"And it was the same for you?" Rukia questioned Uzume. Seeing the brunette nod she continued. "That's actually kind of creepy. What'd that pervert do somehow bond his soul to yours?"

"N-No I don't think so." Uzume answered 'Damn that one is really perceptive!'

"I still don't know what he's searching for though." Orihime stated trying to move the conversation away from bonds and anything else that could compromise their true natures.

"He's in the Rukongai." The second division Taicho stated calmly. Noticing all the eyes in the room shifted in her direction she asked "What?!"

"Don't tell me you can feel him too. Wow Ichigo is such a man whore!" Rangiku exclaimed.

"What's a man whore?" Yachiru asked innocently tilting her head to the side concentrating on the word.

"It's nothing Yachiru and no I can't feel his reiatsu bimbo! Unlike you I'm good at my job! He's never made it a secret that he goes into the Rukongai every time he visits!" She replied back through clenched teeth.

"Hey I'm not a bimbo you pintsized bitch! And what do you mean by 'good at your job' is it your job to stalk Ichigo?" The well-endowed woman retorted with narrowed eyes. She could accept being called a bitch and even a tease, but she was far from a bimbo. Behind the carefree attitude was a skilled and competent shinigami. She was prepared to take off as soon as she seen Soi-Fon stand up and get ready to dash across the room at her. Yes she was a competent shinigami, but so was the person she just called a pint sized bitch. She had no shame in admitting Soi-Fon would kick her sweet ass all over the Seireitei.

"Ladies please calm down." Unohana called out placing a hand on Soi-Fon's shoulder to keep her from gutting Rangiku.

"Why is he going into the Rukongai?" Uzume asked trying to hold in her laughter after seeing the cat fight almost break out. 'Maybe joining the SWA wouldn't be so bad. This is actually kind of fun.'

"I don't know, but he returns several hours or even days later depending on how far he travels." The twin braided woman replied reclaiming her seat at the 'U' shaped table.

* * *

"Wait! He could be gone for days!? Why the hell didn't he tell us?!" Uzume raged

"Well we did kind of leave without even saying goodbye to him, maybe he forgot to tell us." Always the peacekeeper Orihime tried to calm Uzume. She wasn't exactly thrilled that he left without letting them know 'and he better have a damn good reason when he gets back!' seeing Rukia with a solemn look on her face she had to question it.

"What's wrong Rukia?"

"Nothing it's just that I can think of only one thing that he would be searching for for so long." Rukia answered staring back into Orihime's eyes. She could almost see the gears working in the gentle girls head before the light bulb kicked on.

"His Mother." She said quietly. She mentally kicked herself for not thinking of that 'Of course he would go searching for his mother.'

"Well now that we have solved that mystery we can move on. We need to start planning our next fund raiser. The book we commissioned Urahara to write was a staggering success, but due to the failure of our pool project those funds are dwindling." Nanao announced.

"Aww what happened to the pool? I really thought that was a good idea." Orihime whined dragging herself out of her thoughts about Ichigo's mother.

"Byakuya Senbonzakuraed the shit out of it, he can be such a jerk!" Matsumoto answered playing with the ends of her hair.

"Don't call Nii-Sama a jerk! I told you if you built a pool in his yard that he was going to be pissed!" Rukia roared.

"Anyway back on topic. We have had several requests to raffle off a massage from Ichigo again, but in light of recent developments, that would be disrespectful to you two." Nanao started so she could avoid another argument from breaking out.

"Hehe yeah I think Ichigo-Kun was a little mad at you for making him do that." Orihime replied scratching the back of her head.

"Well that leaves option two he poses for the Shinigami poster he has been refusing to do."

"Wait why do all of your money making schemes revolve around Ichigo?" Uzume questioned slightly irritated by the blatant exploitation of her boyfriend.

"He is a hero in the eyes of many individuals and any merchandise remotely related to him sells out in the blink of an eye." Nanao answered not even slightly caring that they had made a butt load of money off the hybrid without even offering him a cent.

"That's right so Jiggles and ZuZu it's your job to get a really good picture of him!" Yachiru exclaimed jumping up on the table and pointing at the two Sekirei.

"Wait am I ZuZu or Jiggles?" Uzume asked

"I would guess ZuZu she calls me Jiggles no matter how many times I tell her to stop." Orihime answered slightly depressed at the nickname.

* * *

-Rukongai West District Seventy-

Walking down the dusty path that led into small village the Orange haired man couldn't help but cringe a little at the poverty stricken homes. He absolutely loathed the fact people were forced to live this way in their afterlife. Even with the little they had the people in these areas seemed to make the best of it. There was one fact that was clear to him ever since he made his first trip into the outer districts and that was that most of these people absolutely hated Shinigami. They felt betrayed that the shinigami lived in the Seireitei in comfort, while they struggled everyday just to make sure they had water to drink. Another thing he realized was that it was best to never give out his name, it always started a fight with some cocky asshole wanting to take on a legend. Walking through the middle of the small town he noted the vendors that lined both sides of the streets trying to sell their merchandise. Walking up to a vendor that seemed to be selling clean drinking water he pulled an old worn out picture from inside his Shihakusho.

"Excuse me sir, could you help me I'm looking for this person?" He asked trying to use his most pleasant voice. Years of asking strangers the same question made the tone of his voice and question almost an automatic.

"Buy something or get away from my stall Shingami." The man spat back.

Sighing to himself he kind of expected that kind of reaction, but beating a man senseless in the middle of the street would make the shinigami look worse in these people's eyes. So he used another practiced maneuver he reached into his robes once more and produced a bag of coins. Dropping it on the counter he started again.

"Here, hand out water until the money in this bag runs out, can you answer my question now?" He asked picking up a jug of water and handing it to the person behind him in line. Unlike most vendors who were money grubbing pricks this one actually let an honest smile grace his face at Ichigo's kindness.

"Let me see the picture again young man." The man asked as he reached out a wrinkled hand and took a closer look at the beautiful strawberry blonde haired woman in the picture. "She sure is pretty, but I'm sorry I haven't seen her."

Nodding his head he let a sad smile cross his face as he thanked the man for his time and turned to walk away. After several minutes of walking around he started having people come up to him and ask to see the picture. This was also something that happened commonly after he bought enough water for a hundred people. Much to his dismay they all gave him a version of the same answer and that was that nobody had seen her. He stayed true to his goal and this little bump in the road would never slow him down. He already planned on staying a couple days in the outer districts so he couldn't let his resolve crumble so easily. 'Probably should have told the girls, ah fuck it they'll be fine on their own for a couple days.'

* * *

Turning down a side alley his blood started to boil. At the other end was a group of five men kicking what appeared to be a ten year old lying on the ground.

"Give us the food you little shit!" A burly man shouted he appeared to be in his thirties, but with souls it was hard to tell their true age.

"I-I can't I-I need this food I'm so hungry." The boy weakly choked out.

"Bullshit you barely have any reiatsu how much food do you need!"

"B-but you guys don't even need to eat, you don't have any reiatsu." He whimpered as he received another kick to the stomach.

"So fucking what! Do you think you're better than us because you have a speck of reiatsu." The man seethed as he pulled a small knife from inside his tattered kimono. "Why don't we just kill you and you won't have to worry about eating ever again!"

Shunpoing in Ichigo caught the man's wrist before he was able to plunge the blade into the boy's neck. He could feel the bones creaking under the pressure of his iron grip, he wanted nothing more than to rip the arm off and take it as a trophy.

"Now is that any way to treat a small child?" He asked calmly keeping all the attackers in front of him. He stepped a few steps to the left to keep them all in his sights as they tried to circle him.

"What the fucks it to you ya piece of shit Shinigami?"

"I'm the piece of shit?" Ichigo asked pointing a finger at himself.

"What ya fucking deaf too? Look at this boys we got ourselves a deaf hero! That's a nice blade I'm sure we could get a fine price for a sword like that." The man who Ichigo now considered the leader of this little band of idiots.

"That's assuming you could even get this sword away from me." The hybrid yawned out 'Man I am kind of tired damn perverted girls keeping me awake.'

"Don't take us lightly you orange haired bitch!" he stated while the men behind him drew weapons of their own which ranged from a rusty sword to chains to a rather unimpressive stick.

"Please don't do this I really hate hurting people when it can be avoided." He lazily drawled out turning his head to the side and getting a satisfying pop.

The pop of his neck seemed to be the cue as the hoodlums charged forward. He frowned slightly even though they deserved a good beating it really was a waste of his time. Wasting no time he grabbed the rusted sword and snapped it in half. Looking at his frightened owner he quickly jammed it through his foot pinning the appendage to the ground. 'Well hopefully he doesn't die from tetanus'. Quickly turning he brought up his arm as a chain wound its way around his forearm, looking at the person on the other end he smirked. With a hard yank the man came speeding towards him and received a foot in the teeth.

Two of the men simply dropped their weapons and ran off, not in the mood to take a beating. Now it was just him and the leader who looked half a second away from shitting his pants.

"Go." It was a simple command that left no room for arguments.

Watching the man flee he turned his attention back to the small boy. Reaching down he hauled the boy to his feet, only for the boy to double back over.

"Shit sorry should've asked you if you could stand first."

"It's okay, but I think my ribs are broken." He whimpered out.

"Is there a doctor nearby?"

"Yeah just outside of town that way." He answered back weakly pointing to the north side of town.

"Okay this is going to be uncomfortable, but I'm going to need you to be strong for me okay?" receiving a nod he grimaced at the pained whimpers that escaped the boys mouth as he picked him up.

Slowly making his way across town he started a conversation with the young boy to help keep his mind off his injuries.

"What's your name?" he asked looking down noticing the slice on the side of his face.

"I-Ichigo." He answered back timidly

"That's a pretty odd name for a boy."

"It means one who protects, not strawberry!" the boy huffed out earning a smile from the shinigami.

"Sorry I didn't mean to offend you."

"It's okay a really nice lady gave me the name she said a really strong warrior has the same name. Do you know Kurosaki Ichigo?"

"Y-Yeah I know him. About this lady do you know where she is?" He asked with his heart hammering in his ears. He was sure only his mom would name a boy Ichigo and tell them the same meaning he got when he was a kid.

"I haven't seen her in about a year. Her name was Masaki-San, she said something about going to the lower districts."

"I see." He replied a little disappointedly. 'At least I finally found a clue.'

He was knocked out of his musings as he heard the young boy gasp. Up ahead of them was a small building burning with numerous people trying futility to put it out. Quickening his pace he made it to the crowd.

"What the hell happened here?" he asked the first person he came across.

"Like you don't fucking know!" the man snarled back. Noticing the wounded boy he continued. "Put the fucking boy down, he doesn't need help from a piece of shit like you."

"He needs medical attention is there anyone here that can help him?" He asked ignoring the man's attempts to piss him off.

"I-I can help him." A young blonde woman answered stepping forward. "I helped the doctor as his nurse for several years now."

Nodding his head he carefully laid the boy down. Before standing his full height and staring the man from earlier in the eye.

"Tell me what happened?" His voice was hard.

"Some bastard Shinigami kidnapped the doc and burned down our only hospital!" He roared back looking nearly ready to start throwing punches.

"What!" his voice conveyed his disbelief

"Don't act fucking ignorant of the fact that you Shinigami have been coming to the outer districts demanding protection money, sleeping with young children, and killing those that don't comply!" This time he actual did throw a punch that was easily side stepped, which only added to his rage.

"That's just fucked up!" The hybrid answered back dodging another swipe.

"No shit now stop fucking moving!"

"I'm not here to fight you! I can help if you knock it the fuck off!"

"Why should we fucking believe you?"

"You shouldn't, but I will prove myself to you." Ichigo answered back evenly.

"They took our doctor and said they were going to execute him at sunset. He refused to pay the protection money and urged others to do the same. All he wanted was for this district to prosper and it was slowly. He offered free medical treatment to anyone that needed it." The young nurse told him.

"How many Shinigami are there?" He asked with his eyes closed, he could feel his darkness churning.

"Always the same ten. They come here every three months and do whatever they please." The man gritted out.

"There's about two hours until sunset. That's plenty of time to retrieve the doc."

"By yourself?"

"I've had worse odds. I can feel their reiatsu a few miles away, they won't be a problem."

"Who are you?" the young woman asked.

"Kurosaki Ichigo." And with that he was gone in a whisper of shunpo.

* * *

Running through the forest that bordered the southern part of the village, he went through his options of what should be done. The first thing that came to mind was phone it in and let the stealth force deal with them (After he rescued the doctor of course). The second was a lot more primal form of punishment that would not end well for the ten men. Slowing his pace as he came upon a small makeshift campsite his first plan flew out the window. Controlling his breathing was hard and the urge to bathe in their blood was growing. Along with the doctor it seems that they also grabbed a few children to party with. The scream of a young girl had his feet in motion before he even processed what was going on.

"Put her down NOW!" He demanded drawing Tensa from his back.

"Who the fuck are you?" a short balding man questioned also drawing a sword with a red hilt.

"Who I am doesn't matter, who the fuck are you?" He answered back the tears in the little girls eyes had his self-control crumbling.

"We are members of th…"

"It doesn't fuckin matter none of you are walking out of this forest alive."

He charged forward faster than any of them could comprehend. His first victim lost his head before anyone could blink, he drove more fear into their hearts when he cut the falling corpse in half at the waist. Without even realizing his eyes turned an ominous black and gold as he dropped two more in one slash. Pleas of mercy fell on deaf ears as he grabbed a fairly muscular man by the face and fired off a cero point blank. The remaining six coward in fear barely holding up their zanpakuto as they witnessed the cero rip their friend in half and carve a path through the forest. Mustering up a small amount of courage four of them charged forward intent on overwhelming their opponent.

The first one to him succeeded in cutting his shihakusho before the hybrids left hand shot out and latched onto the man's mandible. With three fingers buried under his tongue and his thumb securely under his chin Ichigo gave a hard yank ripping the man's jawbone completely off. He wasted no time in spinning and burying his blade up to the hilt in the next attacker's heart. Ripping viciously to the side instead of straight out, he moved on to the other two. Throwing one to the ground he gave him a brutal stomp to the base of his skull severing the spinal cord. A quick vertical slash and there were only two left. Before he could move one of the last men standing pushed the other one directly in the hybrids bath. Slightly disgusted by the man's act of cowardice he fired a bala through the first man's torso, before it connected with the retreating man's leg severing it at the knee. Seeing that he was down he stabbed Tensa Zangetsu in the ground and slowly stalked the man.

"Please stop!"

"What a thing to say to someone like me. I wonder how many times your victims said the same thing, take a moment and savor the fear in your heart. That's what every one of your victims felt before you ruined their lives."

With his piece said he pounced on the man's chest and began driving his fists repeatedly into the man's face. He was unsure of when the man actual passed on, but the dull squishy thuds didn't stop until Ichigo was out of breath. Looking down made him want to vomit the only recognizable pieces left of the man's head were hair and a few teeth. Looking at the people he saved his heart started to break at the absolute terror etched into the young children's faces. He had lost control again and this time it was nobody's fault but his own. Looking around the small campsite looked like a complete massacre orchestrated by a hollow. Walking over to a pot of water that was heating up over the camp fire he dipped his finger in to gauge the temperature. Finding that it wasn't hot enough to burn him he lifted the pot off and dumped it over his head, hoping to cleanse himself of his recent sin.

"Are you guys okay?" he asked in a soft voice. Not wanting to frighten them more he took a seat about ten feet from them.

"Physically we're fine. I think the girls are pretty shaken up." The white haired doctor responded.

"I'm glad I got here in time. Who knows what they would have done to them."

"I have a good idea, but it makes me sick to think about it." Seeing the orange hair man nod. "Thank you for saving us…"

"Kurosaki Ichigo." The hybrid supplied for him seeing the man's eyes widen in recognition he inwardly groaned.

"So the man actually exceeds the legend. You have my thanks Kurosaki Ichigo."

"No thanks are needed it's not like I could let a doctor die that's trying to improve the afterlife. You're a good man yourself…"

"Asama Takehito."

'You've got to be shitting me!' He screamed in his mind.

A/N: Thanks for all the reviews, favs, and follows this story has drawn a lot more interest than I thought it would. Hope you enjoyed the chapter.


	13. Chapter 13

His mind was racing as the group of four made their way back to west 70th. No matter how many times he replayed the scene in his head, he couldn't comprehend the outcome. Finding a single person in the expanses of the Rukongai had always been rumored to be impossible, but that never stopped him from searching for his mother. The unlikely chance of bumping into someone you weren't even looking for had to be millions to one in his opinion. No matter how he made it seem unlikely in his mind the proof was right next to him, holding the hands of the two little girls and walking down the same dirt path. He had no doubts that this man was Miya's late husband, everything matched from the unruly white to the gray eyes. The fact that he used the same name just drove any doubts further away. He was unsure of how to take this next twist in his life full of fantastic fucking surprises. On one hand he could try to squeeze some information out of him, but on the other it was slightly cruel to bring up a person's past that they were forced to leave behind.

'Why does this shit always happen to me? He could be an invaluable source of information about the Sekirei. Hell he was married to Miya so he definitely knows a shit load about them. Do I really want to dig into his past and trample on his personal memories of a life he can no longer live?' If there had been a wall nearby this is the point that Ichigo would have been banging his head against it.

'Fuck it! Like Geta-Boshi, Yoruichi, and even Soi-Fon drilled into me information is the greatest weapon a person can have.'

"Asama-San, how long have you been in the west 70th district?" he inquired. It hurt him inside when the children recoiled at the sound of his voice and hide behind the white haired doctor.

"Hmm, well I've been there ever since I woke up after my death. That's been about six or seven years, why do you ask?" he replied dragging the girls from behind him, so they could walk beside him again.

"Just curious, you've made a pretty big impact on the community for only being there a short time." He hated going the roundabout way to get information, but he wasn't in a situation to be blunt or take the info by force.

"I guess, but the district was in desperate need of a doctor and I just happened to be knowledgeable in human anatomy." He answered back raising a hand to scratch his cheek. He wasn't an unintelligent man he had the feeling that Kurosaki was beating around the bush about something. What that was he had yet to discern.

"Were you a doctor in your previous life? I only ask because my father is also a doctor and was curious if you knew him." Even to his ears his voice sounded un-genuine. Seeing the good doc slightly narrow his eyes he knew that the charade was over.

"If there is something you want to ask me Kurosaki-San it would be easier on both of us if you just said it." Asama answered back curtly.

"Damn, looks like I really do suck at gathering information, still never going to tell the were-cat she was right. What I want to ask about involves Shinto-Teito." Getting a glare in reply he knew he hit a sore spot with the white haired man.

"Not here." He gritted out through clenched teeth. There could be only one reason why a Shinigami would want to discuss that city. 'Minaka you fucking moron! You're actually going through with the plan!'

Nodding his head in understanding Ichigo remained quiet for the remainder of the journey, filling his time by staring at the changing colors of the leaves on the trees. 'Dragging mud into someone's painful past, just another bastard move ya made today Ichigo.' He thought disgustedly. Even though he cleaned himself up the best he could with the water at the campsite, the scent of blood still lingered all around him. He always wonder if his blood soaked hands would ever be clean again. Noting that they were approaching the end of their journey he pushed those self-deprecating thoughts to the back of his mind. The fire had been put out, but the hospital was in shambles.

Taking a quick glance at Takehito he caught a glimpse of the pain and sorrow that flitted across the man's eyes. Everything the man worked for over the years had been taken away by some scumbags that used their power to intimidate instead of protect. In those brief seconds some of the pain from the slaughter lessened, he had made the right call.

'Would others see it like that or would I be denounced as a murderer and made to stand trial for killing fellow shinigami?' Even though the bastards deserved their punishment, he was far from being in the position of being another shinigami's judge, juror and executioner. He put himself in a very delicate situation, while it was true that the bodies would break down into reiatsu before they could be found, the stories and rumors could draw an unwanted investigation into their disappearances. It was true he knew a way to stop the rumors from spreading, he could never go that route. 'I haven't sunk low enough to kill children or an innocent man.'

"Asama-San I would like to request that you don't tell anyone what really happened in the forest. I know it's a lot to ask of you, but I would find myself in a lot of trouble if it were to get out." He asked stepping in front of the other three stopping them from progressing further into the village.

"Oh, and why is that Kurosaki-San?" he asked rhetorically. He knew that he could get in a lot of trouble for slaughtering ten shinigami, even if they deserved it. With Ichigo standing in front of him he had a slight feeling that the young man was trying to intimidate him. A closer look revealed that that was not the case at all. The young man's stance was relaxed and unimposing with a slight pleading look in his eye.

"What I did, no matter if it was the right thing was breaking the rules of the Seireitei. I should have apprehended them instead of killing them." He stated closing his eyes.

"Then why did you kill them? From what I seen they were no match for you, it would have been just as easy for you to knock them out." He inquired keeping his eyes trained on the shingami to see if he let out any amount of deception.

"I also have to sisters, not much older than those two. When I figured out what they were planning to do to them I lost it. I have no regrets for my actions, but taking another's life is not something I enjoy doing." Ichigo replied staring straight into the other man's eyes.

'If he's lying he is damn good at it.' Looking down when he felt one of the girls release his hand, he found his answer.

The young female looked no more than thirteen at the most, she had chin length red hair and fairly small compared to the adults. With hesitant and uncertain steps she made her way to Ichigo's side and gripped his hand, with watery eyes she made her best effort to smile for him.

"W-we won't tell anyone Kurosaki-San. What are your sister's names?" she asked innocently.

"Karin and Yuzu." He offered stooping down to the girl's height so they were eye to eye. With a calloused thumb he wiped the remaining tears away from her face and offered her a warm smile.

"There that's better. You three are very brave you know?"

"Really?" she asked with a little hesitation in her voice. In her mind all she did was sit there and cry.

"Of course. Not many could go through what you went through and still try and smile so soon afterwards. You remind me of another strong female I know." He stated rocking back off the balls of his feet to stand his full height.

Stealing a glance at Takehito he assessed that the man was content with his reasoning. Still holding hands with the child, Ichigo and his companions made their way further into the small village. Not long after their arrival the children where immediately wrapped in hugs by their respective parents, who offered both men genuine smiles of gratitude and relief. Not waiting around to be asked any questions the duo retreated to a small hut.

* * *

"Would you like something to eat or drink?" The doc asked out of politeness, his usually warm voice gained a certain edge to it, which Ichigo picked up immediately.

"No thank you Asama-San."

"Ok, I'm a fairly straight forward person Kurosaki. What do you want with information about Shinto Teito?"

"I'm sure you already know my reasoning, but it looks like you want me to say it anyway. I've recently discovered the Sekirei Plan and I know that you were a part of it. Before you get suspicious I wasn't here looking for you and our meeting was merely a coincidence." Ichigo drawled out resting one his elbows on the small table that sat between them.

"Hmm maybe, I'm not usually one to believe in coincidence. Maybe it was fate that we met." Seeing Ichigo bring his hand to his face and pinch the bridge of his nose he stopped to question him. "Is there something wrong Kurosaki?"

"It's nothing, it's just that every time I talk to someone involved in this fucking plan fate is brought up. Personally I believe a person forges their own path and the future is always changing."

"Possibly, how did you know I was a part of the Sekirei plan?" he asked getting the conversation back on track.

"Miya." He stated simply watching the pain of loss flash across his face.

"H-how do you know her?" he inquired noticing the casual use of Miya's first name.

"I live at Maison Izumo and her level of power was hard to miss."

"Why are the Shinigami getting involved with the Sekirei?" Takehito asked with a little anger leaking into his voice. It was true that he hasn't been dead a long time, but it was long enough to know how the shinigami dealt with other powerful beings.

"They're not, I'm the only one involved with them." 'Besides the Were-Cat, Goat-chin, and Geta-boshi.' He added mentally as an afterthought.

"Still doesn't answer my question of why you're involved!" he snapped a little heatedly.

"Calm down, I'm involved because I'm the Ashikabi of two Sekirei." He stated while holding his hands up in a placating manner.

"W-what?! How?"

"Isn't it obvious? I have some special genetic marker that makes me one, at least that's what Geta-boshi said." He replied back with a raised eyebrow.

"That's not what I meant and you know it!" He exclaimed pointing an accusatory finger at Ichigo, while a demonic mask formed behind him. "How can you, a soul, be an ashikabi to living being?"

"No I didn't know! Be more specific with your questions damn it! For your question I'm still human not a soul." He fired back. Calming down a little he eyed the disappearing mask behind his new acquaintance. 'Hmm I wonder if he learned that from Miya, or was it the other way around?'

"Oh, sorry I didn't know that about you. The stories only depict you as a really powerful Shinigami, so I just assumed you were a soul."

"Don't worry about it most do." He stated while waving his hand in a dismissive manner.

"Can I ask which two sekirei are yours?"

"Sure, my first sekirei is number 10, Uzume and my second is number 90, Orihime." He didn't miss the recognition light in the other man's eyes at the mention of their names.

"Heh you must have your hands full with Uzume, she can be quite… rambunctious. I'm kind of disappointed to hear that Orihime is back in the plan. Ueda-San went to great lengths to make sure she stayed unaware of her true identity." Looking at the man across from him he was happy that those two found an ashikabi as strong as Kurosaki.

"How is Miya doing?" he asked after a short pause.

"She still grieves for you, but she is a very strong woman. She treats the other sekirei that live at Izumo Inn as her own children." He answered back, taking in the depressed appearance of the man across from him.

"Of course she would, she is the oldest among them after all."

"I didn't know that, but given her power it should have been obvious."

"Would it be possible for me to see her?" He asked with a spark of hope burning in his eyes.

He was caught off guard by the question, even though he should have expected it. His immediate response was to deny that it was even possible, but Takehito was no fool and would see through that smoke screen. His next thought was to explain that souls should move forward and leave the past behind them. Thinking further he reasoned that would be hypocritical of him to say, since he was doing the exact same thing with his mother. He knew he had to give him something, so he explained something he was certain of.

"Taking you into the world of the living is extremely dangerous Asama. While shinigami do it routinely, a normal soul such as yourself would be vulnerable to hollows. In the worst case scenario interacting with your former lover would cause you to despair when it was time to leave. Before you ask yes you would have to leave, not even shinigami are supposed to linger in the living world for any lengths of time. You could become a hollow and that would cause pain for not only yourself, but the ones you care about also." Ichigo stated heaving a heavy sigh of regret.

"That is not exactly what I was hoping for. So I can't go to see her, but could you bring her here?"

Ichigo just blinked dumbly at him for a few seconds. That possibility hadn't crossed his mind.

"That may work, but I don't want to get your hopes too high. It's true that Orihime and Uzume are here at the moment, so it's not impossible. Me bringing someone as powerful as Miya into the Soul Society could have some serious consequences." Never one to intentionally crush another's hopes he added. "I will do my best to make it happen for you."

"Thank you." It was a quiet response, but it held an immense amount of gratitude.

"So how much do you know about the Sekirei Plan?"

* * *

-Karakura-

"I wonder when Onii-chan will be back?" Yuzu asked randomly as her, Karin and Chiho walked home from school.

"Who knows, you know Ichi-nii. It's not that unheard of that he disappears for weeks on end." Karin drawled out. She worried about her brother of course, but she knew that someone would be a fool to fuck with him. She was knocked out of her musings when a man with glasses stopped the trio in their tracks.

"Ah just who I was looking for." Kakizaki stated pushing his glasses up his nose. Noticing the young girl accompanying the twins he raised an eyebrow. 'That's Hidaka Chiho, what the hell is she doing here.'

"And why would you be looking for us?" Karin demanded taking up a defensive stance in front of the other two.

"In short I need you to accompany me, your brother's life may be in danger if you don't." He threatened smoothly with an air of smugness around him.

"Wha-." Yuzu started in a frantic voice only to be cut off by Karin.

"Tch, you obviously don't know our brother very well. I'll do you a favor and not mention this to him. Knowing him he'd rip of your arms and beat you death with 'em." She replied in a serious tone giving no fucks about this man's idle threats.

"Is that so now? He is interesting I will give him that, but he's no superhero. He would have no chance against the people I represent." He fired back in a stuck up manner. Hearing the black haired girl snort in amusement, he sent a heated glare in her direction.

"Actually I think I will tell him, you need to be knocked down a peg or two you pompous ass!"

"Please do, I will even let you use my phone when we're back in the capital."

"We're not going anywhere with you freak!" Karin shouted hoping to draw attention from others in the area. Seeing no one in the vicinity she silently cursed under her breath before lashing out and catching the man unprepared with an uppercut under the chin. Karin knew two things about herself for sure, one she was a hell of a soccer player and two beating on Goat-Chin gave her one hell of a punch. Which was demonstrated when the man crumpled on his ass. Taking the opening she grabbed the other girls' hands and made a dash for home.

Picking himself up, Kakizaki spit a glob of blood that gathered in his mouth while retrieving his cell phone. Waiting for the other party to pick up he took note of the direction the retreating forms of the girls were heading in.

"Their heading towards their home, are you in position?"

"Yeah, I'm about a block from the house. What happened you couldn't convince them the easy way?" Toyotama asked with amusement lacing her words. She really had no problems with the bespectacled man, after all he was completely loyal to her ashikabi. She still thought he was kind of a dick, so him failing delighted her to no end.

"Shut up and just be ready." Was his annoyed reply.

Casually staying out of sight she waited, she kind of wished that she was accompanied by one of her sister sekirei. It wasn't that she needed help, but it was better to be over-prepared. Seeing a trio of young teenagers running at her frantically, she pulled out a small picture. There was no doubt in her mind they were the ones she was looking for.

'Hmm I only need one. Which one to grab.' Resting her sights on the black haired girl she sprung from her hiding place. Without a word she doubled the younger girl over with a vicious blow to the stomach before backhanding the other two away. Grabbing hold of her prey she made a full retreat jumping in a van hidden around the corner.

"Y-you bitch you… seriously fucked yourself… now." Karin wheezed out. She didn't even see the fist that turned her lights out as she slumped in her seat.

* * *

-Seireitei-

"I wish Ichigo would hurry up." Rangiku whined sitting in her temporary living quarters. She was getting extremely bored Orihime was taking a nap and Uzume was quietly reading in the corner. Her only other option was to do work to pass the time, that idea made her shudder.

"I'm sure he won't be too long." Uzume stated closing her book and rubbing her sore eyes. She just made it to the part of Aizen's betrayal and was absolutely riveted by the story so far. She didn't want to stop reading, but her eyes were refusing to cooperate. Looking at Orihime's slumbering form she smiled and wished that it was her that had the adventures with her Ashikabi. 'Well the Sekirei Plan is an adventure.'

"So what are you going to do about getting the picture of Ichigo? May I suggest that it's fully nude?" Rangiku asked with mischief dancing in her voice.

"Not happening!" She answered with a scowl that would have made Ichigo proud.

"Well you should think of something. Unohana-Taicho is very strict when it concerns the completion of missions. You and Orihime weather you like it or not have been selected for this mission." She responded with a slight shiver, as she remembered the few times she kept Unohana waiting for something.

"I understand that he is very popular here, but why can't you guys understand that he's a very private person." She asked as calmly as she could. Looking at the clueless look the other girl was sporting she just sighed. Taking after Orihime she curled up on the couch and closed her eyes.

'I do understand.' Rangiku thought sadly. After all everyone knew of her relationship with Gin, after the betrayal most shinigami avoided her like the plague. Shunning her for the man she loved. Her private life had been dragged through the mud and she was even interrogated by Squad Two about any involvement she had in the three Taicho's desertion. She still had yet to forgive the ones that shut her out, not even when they asked for forgiveness after learning Gin's true intentions. She didn't want to exploit Ichigo, she just wanted the younger Shinigami to know what a true role model was. Turning off the lights she curled up on her futon before falling asleep as well.

* * *

-Takehito's Home-

Flashing a grin at the powerful hybrid sitting across from him he started.

"I know enough to make Minaka shit his pants. First I need to know what you know so I don't repeat myself and waste time." He stated while patiently waiting for Ichigo to list off everything. One piece of information was new to him and that was the part about the Soul King.

"Interesting, I would say that you have a lot more knowledge than the average Ashikabi. Do you know what Tama is?" Seeing the clueless look his companion was sporting he started.

"Tama is also referred to as Sekirei soul, Sekirei core or Sekirei spirit. Basically, it is the core which let Sekirei live and use their powers, so in essence the life of a Sekirei itself. A Sekirei who has lost its Tama ceases to function. Unlike a human soul a Sekirei's Tama can be placed in another body with no ill effects. There is a weakness with the Tama and that is the Jinki." Cutting the man off before he started talking he continued.

"The Jinki are numbered from #1 to #8, each was on one of the 8 Sekirei spaceships. Miya described them to me as items originating from the age of gods, for their possession Ashikabi and Sekirei incessantly have fought over them in blood and sorrow. She also mentioned them as items with the power to control the life and death of Sekirei. If all eight of them are gathered together, it would be possible to terminate all Sekirei, because you are able to connect directly to the Tama enabling an Ashikabi to turn the Tama on and off as he desires. But because the Sekirei mated with their Ashikabi and passed on the Tama, the Jinki can also be used to affect their descendants, causing a human mass genocide. As you know the current generation of Sekirei were altered by MBI to reduce their strength by placing limiters within them, the Jinki have the power to remove those limiters. The limiters not only weaken a Sekirei's strength, they also weaken the dominant personality characteristic. Consequently for example violent Sekirei will become more violent if the limiter is removed."

'Fuck me! This is exactly the information I need to keep secret from Yama-Ji.' He had no doubt that the mention of a possible mass genocide in the human population would force the ancient Shinigami's hand. He knew the Sekirei even without their limiters would be no match for the Gotei 13, numbers alone would ensure their downfall. Hardening his resolve he had a new mission and that was to collect all the Jinki, shove them up Minaka's ass before pitching him into a garganta.

"By the look in your eye I see you grasp the threat they possess."

"Why would you help that man?" Ichigo asked his voice low and menacing.

"Truthfully I didn't know the true threat the Jinki possessed until I married Miya. After learning Minaka's intentions I left MBI, my only regret is that I couldn't stop this plan before it started. Originally everyone involved were lead to believe that Minaka had honest intentions of helping the Sekirei prosper in finding there soul mates." He replied back evenly. He understood Ichigo's anger it was the same way he felt when he first learned of Minaka's true intentions.

"Why didn't Miya lift a finger to stop him? Even with a limiter she is more than powerful enough to do that."

"Simple, she needed Minaka to awaken the rest of her species, at the time numbers 95 through 108 were still in an embryo state. No matter how much she hated him she wouldn't sacrifice another Sekirei. Before you ask I felt the same way, I even died to protect the unborn when a Jinki went haywire."

"I see, sacrifice is something I can understand." He stated leaning back while rubbing his temples.

"One more thing, when I was about to kill Minaka, he said if he died before the plan ended all the sekirei would terminate, is that true?"

"WHAT! You almost killed Minaka?!"

"Yes I did, had to settle on beating the shit out of him though and don't get sidetracked answer the question."

"I would like to say it's a lie but with that crazy bastard I wouldn't put it past him. That's enough for tonight Ichigo, you're more than welcome to stay for the night if you want." With that said Takehito stood up and left the young man to his thoughts.

Deciding to not take the man up on his offer Ichigo took off for the Seireitei. He promised to keep in touch with Takehito and to relay a message to Miya for him. He had no clue if he could arrange a meeting between them, but he would damn sure try. Heading through the Rukongai under the cover of darkness proved to be a wise move. The streets were vacant, which made travel through towns incredibly faster. He planned on staying for a couple of days, but even with the promising lead he had received about his mom, he couldn't put off the threat of the Jinki. His mind was swirling with the information Takehito had revealed, he had to admit he didn't give the Sekirei Plan enough potential to be that disastrous. Making it to the gates he was pleased to see that Jidanbo was still awake.

"Yo, glad you're still awake big guy."

"Still awake? I just got up for the day, its 5 A.M. Ichigo." The giant yawned out. Looking at the slightly tattered shihakusho and the thoughtful expression on the young man's face, he knew he found something.

"Looks like you had a rough time out there, find anything interesting?"

"Actually yeah, but I didn't have time to track down the lead. As for my appearance, I had a run in with a couple of assholes along the way."

"Heh Heh yeah that tends to happen the farther out into the Rukongai you go." The giant chuckled out as he opened the gate for the young hybrid.

Walking through the streets Ichigo let out his senses and just as he expected his Sekirei's energy was calm and peaceful. 'So their asleep and in squad 10, can't say that's surprising. Wonder if I should wake 'em up for a morning work out?' Shaking that thought away he decided to be merciful and let them rest. He was too wound up to sleep, so before he knew it his feet had taken him to one place he knew he could burn off some energy.

Looking at the soldiers in perfect formation preforming their morning workout brought a smile to his face. If there was one thing he knew about Soi-Fon it was that she ran a tight ship. Shunpoing to the end of the first line Ichigo remained quiet and fell in step with the workout. He received a raised eyebrow from the Taicho, but nothing else. After all it wasn't uncommon for him to drop in from time to time to train with the assassins.

Watching Ichigo flow through the movements with practiced ease brought a slight smile to the twin braided Taicho's face. 'He would be the perfect soldier if he wasn't so damn insubordinate. If he were in my squad full time I'm sure I could knock that rebellious streak out of him.'

Pairing off her troops to spar she walked up to the strawberry.

"You're with me idiot let's go. Oi, Omeada lead the troops and if I find out you slacked off I will ram my fist down your throat!" The petite woman called out.

"Y-Yes Taicho!" the rotund man replied. He sent a scathing glare at the hybrid. He truly hated the fact that when Kurosaki dropped by his beloved Taicho would pay special attention to him, hell they didn't even stay in the same training grounds to spar.

Returning the fat man's glare with a bored expression, Ichigo had the urge to put him in his place. Reasoning that it would be a waste of his time he followed Soi-Fon's lead and trailed after her. Landing on top of Sokyoku hill the duo faced each other. Unstrapping their swords they laid them on the ground, it was always a pure hakuda match between them. Both with matching smirks they charged at each other.

* * *

-Rangiku's Room-

Mahogany eyes snapped open when she felt a spike in Ichigo's reiatsu. Looking around the still dark room she could barely make out the outline of Orihime getting dressed. 'No doubt she felt it too.' Without verbal exchange the two were dressed and out the door. She was skeptical about riding on Orihime's shield, but was forced to jump on when Orihime started to take off without her. She was surprised by how smooth the ride was, 'well this definitely makes up for her lack of agility!' moments later she recognized that they were heading to the same spot that they entered Seireitei. When they got closer they could make out the outline of two individuals sitting on the ground.

Dropping off the shield Uzume took in the appearance of her Ashikabi, he wasn't wearing the top of his uniform, had a cut lip and multiple bruises littered his skin. Even with the injuries he looked at peace with his sword across his lap and the sun slowly rising behind him. An image of a smiling Unohana flashed across her mind making her shudder. Without hesitation she raised a camera given to her by the SWA and snapped the picture. 'Sorry Ichigo, but that woman is a fucking terrifying.' Looking at the display screen she smiled, 'even banged up he looks incredible.' Sliding her eyes over to the other woman she scowled a bit. Soi-fon was in the same shape as Ichigo, but had a genuine smile on her face as she meditated. She couldn't explain it, but the short woman grated the busty brunettes' nerves. The fact that it was her Ashikabi that put the smile on her face made her scowl even further.

-Ichigo's Inner World-

"Tch, it's raining again. Sorry Zangetsu I know how much you hate the rain." He spoke to himself. He knew he would never get a response, but it never stopped him from talking to his Zanpakuto. Hell he even talked to the bastard hollow on certain occasions. He never knew if he did it out of habit or if it was because he felt there was a small chance they could hear him. Scanning over his mind scape he took note that the black abyss that represented the hollow appeared even more menacing. It wasn't surprising to him after all he embraced that part of his soul when he committed the slaughter.

Shifting his focus to the flower fields he let a small smile grace his lips. Even in his time of inner turmoil they called out to him like a beacon, promising him unconditional love and support. Feeling the rain ease a little at that revelation made his smile increase in size. He truly felt like one of the luckiest men in the world. Without further prompting he shunpoed to the majestic lake surrounded by a dense forest. Removing his clothes he slid into the water, the deep soul calming comfort that could only come from ones' Zanpakuto seeped deep inside his muscles to his very core. This truly made his visits worth the time and facing the loneliness that resided inside his soul. Even if he couldn't hear the old man traces of him lingered in the lake, always there and always waiting to offer comfort when it was truly needed. As much as he hated to admit it the same feeling washed over him when he sank into the abyss. It wasn't so much comfort that the abyss offered, it was more the ability to strengthen his resolve when he faltered.

"I know that we're never apart it still doesn't stop me from missing you bastards." He stated before submerging himself completely in the bottomless depths.

-Sokyoku Hill-

Hearing a vibrating noise coming from Ichigo's discarded top the curious healer wandered over and retrieved his cell phone. Biting her lip in contemplation she didn't know if she should answer the call. Looking at her sister sekirei Uzume rolled her eyes and snatched the phone from her.

"Hello this is Kurosaki Ichigo's phone can I help you?"

"May I speak with Kurosaki-San please?" A smooth and slightly snobby voice responded.

Stealing a glance at Ichigo she answered him, "I'm sorry he is indisposed at the moment, this is Uzume is there something I can help you with?"

"Ah number 10, yes you should be able to help me. Will you please relay to Kurosaki-San that if he wishes to see his sister Karin live to see her graduation, he should return my call at his earliest convenience. Also please tell him to keep this information between the three of you, I'm sure number 90 will also find out."

"W-what! Oh no mister you just did the dumbest thing in your entire life!" She exclaimed, she went from beyond worried to downright scared shitless. 'Ichigo is going to pull out this man's spine!'

"Hmm, that's interesting his sister has been saying the same thing." Kakizaki lazily drawled out before hanging up the phone.

A/N: Wow it's been awhile! Don't worry I haven't lost my muse for this story, it's just that work has been eating up all my precious writing time. Thankfully it was a holiday weekend so I decided to devote a day to writing for those of you that enjoy reading this story. I know that I have already used the kidnaping scenario earlier in the story, but it was essential to move the plot forward. Trust me it will be different than Orihime's kidnaping and probably have less chapters devoted to it. Anyway I hope that you enjoyed the chapter and thank you to those that reviewed, faved, and followed.


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